


Team Miraculous: We Can be Heroes

by TheGreyWriter



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Action, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Canon Rewrite, Cat Miraculous, Crime Fighting, Crimes & Criminals, Drama & Romance, Eiffel Tower, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/F, Female Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Flirting, Fox Alya Césaire | Rena Rouge, Gender or Sex Swap, Genderbending, Genderswap, Gun Violence, High School, Ladybug Miraculous, Love Triangles, Mental Breakdown, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Multi, Paris (City), Rewrite, Romance, Secret Identity, Slow Burn, Superheroes, Teen Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-10-20 11:56:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 27,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20674988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreyWriter/pseuds/TheGreyWriter
Summary: As the latest Chosen of the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses find their feet fighting the evil Hawk Moth, Master Fu comes to the realisation that he may have underestimated the threat. Deciding to provide them more help in the form of other new Miraculous Chosen he begins an arm race with Hawk Moth that might well spiral out of control. New secrets and powers of the Miraculous will emerge on both sides of this war.Meanwhile Ladybug and Chat Noir try to strike a balance in their newly formed partnership while developing a relationship, romantic or otherwise, with each other. Little do they know that their partnership is about to grow with a new addition to the team. A certain Fox themed hero is about to turn this duo into a trio and from there who knows which hero will join them next.





	1. Flirting in the Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One week after becoming superheroes Adrienne is crushing hard, Plagg misses Tikki and Ladybug tries her hand at flirting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the last couple weeks, I have become obsessed with this show so of course it would lead to a fanfiction. Just writing this for fun so no promises on how often I will update or where this story will go. Anyway, I do have some important things to address, primary among them are the changes I am making:
> 
> • Firstly: I am near incapable of writing straight romance and I prefer writing female main characters so I have gender bent Adrien.  
• Secondarily: I am ageing up the characters to 15, which means that origins took place upon their first day of Lycée (French High School), because I like to write my relationships with a little sex appeal and 13 to 14 is little too creepy for writing that. Hormonal older teens on the other hand, they are always fun to write.   
• Thirdly: I am basing the order of episodes off of the timeline on the Miraculous Ladybug wiki. I know they might not be correct but they are good road map and easy to find. Worst case scenario I will manipulate events to make it match. Also I reserve the right to change events as need be and go off the rails at any moment, I already plan to introduce a new hero far earlier than in canon and as a permanent member of the team.  
• Lastly: Romance wise I do not have anything set in stone yet but I have some ideas around an interesting love triangle so we will see how that goes.
> 
> Also this chapter chronologically takes place after Origins but before any other episodes.

**Chapter 01:** Flirting in the Moonlight

Adrienne Agreste smiled dumbly to herself as she stared at her computer screen. She was in love. Deeply and frustratingly in love. It was a new feeling for the blonde-haired model. It both made her blood burn and filled her stomach with butterflies. It was like she was walking on clouds yet sinking under the ocean waves at the same time. Adrienne stared blankly into those blue eyes on her computer screen. The endless depths of her Lady’s blue eyes were hypnotic, they drew Adrienne in and would not let go of her without a fight. A fight she refused to even try to win. Thank God for the Ladyblog.

“Adrienne!” Plagg yelled making his miraculous holder jump in fright and almost fall out of her chair.

“Plagg shhhhhhhh,” Adrienne hissed as she caught herself upon her desk. “If my father hears you…”

“Sheesh kid, settle down will you,” Plagg said as he floated around Adrienne’s head. “I wouldn’t have to shout if you’d stop drooling over Ladybug and pay attention to me the first time I called your name.”

“I wasn’t drooling,” Adrienne snapped as she quickly wiped her hand over her mouth to make sure she had in fact not been literally drooling. “It’s just… she’s so beautiful and heroic and kind and gracious and…”

“You barely know her kid,” Plagg grumbled glancing over to the image on the computer. “You’ve only met her what? Twice last week and you’re already head over heels for her?”

“We saved Paris together, we fought together and had each other’s back… a bond like that Plagg… it’s special,” Adrienne sighed as she gazed once more upon her masked heroine. “It’s just like in the books… a Lady and her Knight taking on the evil together. How could I not fall for her after that?”

“Urrrrrgh, you’re a worse romantic then even Tikki,” Plagg groaned as he slumped down onto the desk. “Why’d she end up with your _Lady _when you and her were clearly made for one another?”

“Tikki?” Adrienne asked with a frown as she glanced between Plagg and the picture of Ladybug. Her eyes widened as his words sunk in. “Is Tikki Ladybug’s kwami?” Plagg nodded and Adrienne saw a strange look come over her kwami’s face. It looked like… sadness? Or longing? Wait.. was it… “Do you know Tikki well?”

“Of course,” Plagg said with a slight smile. “We’ve known each other longer than any other Kwamis… possibly longer than any other beings ever.”

“Do you miss her?”

Plagg was silent for all most a full minute as he gazed up at Adrienne before nodding his head. “Yeah… we’ve only been separated a week since this all happened.” He gestured at himself and Adrienne. “We were together with most of the other kwamis for a long time. The longest we have been since we were first given the ability to interact with the physical world through the Miraculouses. It wasn’t till you and Ladybug were needed just recently that we were separated.”

“I’m sorry Plagg,” Adrienne said. She felt sad having been the reason for separating her kwami from such an old and dear friend.

“Whatever,” Plagg huffed slumping down upon the desk. “Doesn’t matter. Now how about some Camembert? A late-night snack sounds good righ now.”

Adrienne hummed as she fished out a piece of Plagg’s favourite cheese from her recently gathered supply. As he enjoyed his snack, she was deep in thought. Not about Ladybug this time, rather, she was thinking about their kwamis. It did not seem right for them to be separated after all that time together. Adrienne knew if she was ever forced apart from her friends, not that she had many beyond Chloe and recently Nino, she would be bummed out just like Plagg was. Even though he was trying to hide it, Adrienne could tell Plagg was saddened by this. He missed Tikki.

“We should find a way for you and her to see each other again,” Adrienne said and Plagg almost choked on his cheese.

“Wha?”

“You and Tikki,” Adrienne said as she leaned back in her chair. “You two should get to see each other and hang out again.”

“But you and Ladybug can’t know each other’s secret identities,” Plagg said shaking his little cat head. “You know that.”

“I know but we could work something out,” Adrienne said as her gaze turned to Ladybug upon her computer. “My Lady will understand, and we’ll come up with something together. I know we will. Next time I see her I’ll talk to her about it.” Adrienne smiled as she looked at the faintest blush upon Plaggs cheeks.

“Thanks,” Plagg said as he chewed on the last of his cheese. His gaze turned away from Adrienne to the computer screen.

“When do you think we’ll see each other again?”

“I imagine when another akuma shows up… or tonight.”

“Hmm?” Adrienne mused as she glanced up to see Plagg staring up at the computer screen. Her own eyes widened as she saw a notification of a new update on the Ladyblog. ‘_Ladybug Sighted Stopping Mugging: A Hero Fighting Everyday Crimes, Not Just Akumas’_. She clicked on the alert and was taken to the full post. Adrienne’s eyes scanned over the short post by Alya and looked at the amateur photograph taken of Ladybug returning a purse to a woman near an alleyway. “She’s out there right now… stopping crime?”

“Seems so,” Plagg said with a shrug. “You two are superheroes after all.”

“Yeah but I thought we would only get together when there was an akuma on the loose,” Adrienne said her eyes as wide as dinner plates. “I never imagined we would stop mundane crimes… only she’s out there alone doing this.” Her eyes dropped from the computer screen. “Without me.”

“Then what are you waiting for kid?” Palgg said with a smirk. “Get out there after her. At the very least it should stop you pining over her for a few hours.”

“You’re right Plagg,” Adrienne said a grin coming across her face as she stood up from her computer chair so fast it almost fell over. “Claws out!” Plagg winked at Adriene as he was whisked away and into the ring.

*

Ladybug swung through the Paris night sky. She was alone and free. Flying through the air like a bird through the sky. Never before had she felt more alive than when she was out as Ladybug. Marinette smiled behind her mask as she came to land upon what was quickly becoming her favourite building top in all of Paris. Besides her own, of course. This one overlooked the Eiffel Tower from a perfect angle to make the most iconic building in all of Paris stand out against the night sky. “What a beautiful view,” Marinette murmured to herself as she gazed out at the lit-up tower.

“A beautiful view for my beautiful Lady,” a voice answered from the darkness behind her.

Marinette turned, yo-yo already spinning by her side, only to see a pair of familiar green-gold eyes looking at her from the shadows. “Chat Noir?” She lowered the yo-yo/

“Yes Milady?” Chat said as she leaped from the railing and came stalking towards Marinette.

Ladybug suppressed a gulp that formed in her throat as she watched the feline superhero saunter her way into the light. She had seen professional fashion models with less grace then Chat’s walk. The way she swung her hips and moved her shoulders in time with her steps. Each step itself perfectly timed as if she was walking to some unheard music. When Chat walked it was like a show of her body. Telegraphing the way each muscle could move. It was a walk that told everyone she was a person to be gazed upon and admired. It was breathtaking.

“What may I ask has brought you out on this purr-fect night?”

There it was, Marinette internally sighed, the buzzkill that droned out whatever charm Chat’s walk had. She frowned at the blonde haired, leather clad woman. It was too bad Chat did not know when to keep her mouth shut because without the terrible puns and insistent flirting she really was Marinette’s type. Tall, strong, flexible and graceful. Her short blonde hair drew Marinette in like a fly to honey. She just wanted to reach up and run her fingers through it. But it was the sparkle of those green eyes that really entrapped her. A pearly white smile upon Chat’s face made her realise she had been caught staring.

Marinette stepped towards Chat and went to tell her off for sneaking up on her, not to mention that horrible pun, but she paused a moment as she eyed Chat wearily. They had only known each other a very short time, yet something told Marinette that attacking Chat’s puns would only make the girl try harder. It was the same deal with the flirting. The more she knocked Chat back the harder she seemed to come at Marinette. It was not even that Marinette did not enjoy the flirting or the occasional pun but more so Chat’s timing. Was the two akuma battles they had already fought together in really the time for such things?

She wished certain other cute blondes in her life (*cough* Adrienne Agreste *cough*) would pay half as much attention to her as Chat. Then again if Adrienne flirted with Marinette like Chat did she may literally die from a heart attack. God, why was her love life so complicated as Marinette? Ladybug would have the confidence to go up to Adrienne and ask her out, least of all talk to her like a normal human being. Ladybug was brave enough to do anything while Marinette did not even have the courage to look at Adrienne without becoming a mess of a human being.

Marinette blinked. Ladybug could do anything… the mask gave her confidence she never would have had without it… it allowed her to be whoever she wanted to be, to do what she wanted and speak her own mind. She could even… dare she? Would she? Marinette glanced up at Chat and saw the woman smiling at her as Chat patiently waited for her response. Could she really try something like this with Chat of all people? She was her partner after all, they were a team. But that was yet to stop Chat from trying her hand at it so why could Marinette not give back just as good as she got? Worst that could happen is she makes a fool of herself in front of Chat and who cared about that? Certainly not Marinette.

Ladybug smiled at her partner as she stepped over towards the woman with as much confidence as she could muster. Something in her body language or the smile upon her face must have caught Chat unaware because the leather wearing superhero took a step back from her as she approached. “I could ask the same thing of you Kitty,” Ladybug said as she reached out and flicked Chat’s bell. “Did you come slinking around here all on your own or were you looking for me to ring your bell my Kitty?”

“M-my Lady?” Chat gasped as she tried to lean away. “What… what… what…”

“What’s the matter Chat?” Ladybug asked as she reached up with both hands to tug on Chat’s collar. “Cat got your tongue?” She held her partner close staring up into those eyes as Chat’s cheeks became red. She broke out into a laugh as she almost doubled over, slapping her thigh as she released the blushing superhero.

“Ladybug,” Chat whined as she reached up and tugged upon her blonde hair. “Don’t do that to me.”

“Oh come on Chat…” Ladybug gasped out between her laughter. “Tell me you can take it as good as you give it out, right?”

“I suppose I do deserve it,” Chat said with a sigh, a small smile coming across her face. “But what’s gotten into you tonight? Fighting crime and flirting? Are you really Ladybug or has some akuma taken over from you?” Chat was only half joking as she reached down to place a hand upon her staff while she eyed Ladybug.

“Don’t even kid about that,” Ladybug said shaking her head as she recovered from her laughing fit. “No, I’m fine. I just thought now, when we are out of danger and alone together… with my mask on and no one to embarrass me for trying that I would give… flirting a go.” She looked away from Chat as she suddenly felt flustered. “It’s so hard to do without my mask. In everyday life I would never but as Ladybug I can do anything. Even flirt. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yeah actually I think I do,” Chat said as she moved her hand away from the staff. “In all honesty I am not much of a flirt myself under the mask. But when I wear this, when I become Chat Noir… I feel like I get the chance to try that sort of stuff. I get to experiment and see what it would be like to flirt with a beautiful lady, make dumb jokes and… have fun.” She reached out and placed a hand upon Ladybug’s shoulder. She felt the girl stiffen immediately at her touch. “Want to know a secret?”

“Yes,” Ladybug whispered turning to face Chat. They were so close together that Ladybug could feel Chat’s breath upon her skin.

“When we fought together, I was really scared,” Chat said her voice lowering. “From the moment I went out there as Cat Noir I was downright terrified. Even with the superpowers and the mask I felt… afraid. So, I just started flirting to distract myself and it worked. It’s so different to how I am in real life that it helped me dissociate Chat Noir with myself. I wasn’t in danger because it was Chat Noir not me out there. Do you understand?”

“I do,” Ladybug said smiling at Chat as she reached out and placed a hand upon Chat’s upper chest, right above her heart. “You’re braver than you think Chat… with or without the mask.” She felt Chat’s heart skip a beat. “You are more than welcome to continue your flirting… whatever you need to fight alongside me. I know I can rely on you. I feel it here.” She reached up with her other hand and placed it upon her own heart.

“My Lady,” Chat said that loving twinkle in her cat like eyes. “I trust you too.” Chat reached up and took the hand against her heart. She leaned down and kissed it and instead of the sigh or eye roll she was expecting out of Ladybug she got that one smile. The one smile that was soft and kind. The one that lit up Ladybug’s face and made Chat’s world spin. “What about you Milady? Are you going to start flirting with me now too? Now that you have dipped your toe in the water. Or was that just a one-time deal?”

“We’ll see Kitty,” Ladybug said as she reached up and tingled the bell upon Chat’s neck. Both of them laughed as they looked at each other under the pale moonlight. “Depends on your behaviour and attitude.”

“Don’t you mean my Cat-titude?” Chat asked, waggling her eyebrows at Ladybug. That got her the eyeroll she had been expecting before.

“I am regretting this already,” Ladybug groaned but she could not keep the smile from her face. “Anyway, was there an actual reason you came out to see me?”

“Two reasons,” Chat said with a smirk. “Firstly, I wanted to ask about your activities tonight. Stopping a mugging? Is that something we are doing now? I thought we were only supposed to fight akumas and Hawk Moth.”

“I didn’t mean to,” Ladybug said only to get a raised eyebrow from Chat. “I just needed some time as Ladybug rather than… myself so I went out for some air. I came across the incident by chance and I couldn’t just stand there. I had to do something… I stopped the mugger and returned the purse to the lady and then the police showed up and that girl who writes the Ladyblog…”

“You know about the Ladyblog?” Chat asked and got a nod in return. “Well that’s good. You can look at all the pictures of me you want there. That girl really did manage to get my good side.” She flicked her head back, making her short blonde hair flip back as she grinned down at Ladybug. “I know she captured some very pleasant pictures of you.”

“Of course, that’s what you would browse it for,” Ladybug chuckled shaking her head. “But yes, that’s what happened.”

“Are you going to do it again?”

“I don’t know… probably?”

“Can I join you?”

“Please,” Ladybug said with an eager nod.

“I was hoping you would say that,” Chat said with a grin. “We should set up a patrol route or something. We can use these crimes and our spare time between stopping them as training for Hawk Moth.”

“That’s a good idea,” Ladybug said. “It would be nice to have you out there watching my back.” They shared a smile. “What else did you want to talk about?”

“Tikki,” Chat said and watched as Ladybug’s eyes widened. “Plagg, my kwami, told me about her and I think he misses her. We should find a way for them to hang out sometime. Just because we can’t know each other’s secret identities doesn’t mean we should have to separate them. They’re good friends.”

“I didn’t know that,” Ladybug said biting her bottom lip. “We can probably work something out for them. But I want to talk to Tikki and think about this some more. Can we talk about this another time?”

“Sure,” Chat said with a nod as she turned to gaze up at the moon. “It’s getting late… we should probably go.”

“Soon,” Ladybug said as she wrapped an arm around Chat’s side. “But let’s take a moment to ourselves. We deserve that much after saving Paris last week.” Her head turned to the night sky and she looked at the full moon above them.

“That we do, My Lady, that we do,” Chat said as she put an arm around Ladybug’s shoulder and pulled her close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was rather fun to write. You will notice the characters are a little different then their canon selves but where’s the fun in fanfiction if you cannot write your own take on characters? Next chapter should take place at the end of Lady Wifi. 
> 
> As always, feedback and comments are appreciated.


	2. Villains or Victims

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir have a heart to heart conversation, Alya breaks down following the events of Lady Wifi, receives good advice from an old Asian man along with a gift and gets a night time visit from Ladybug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so a few things. Number one is I noticed I spelt Tikki’s name wrong in the last chapter and so that is fixed. Number two is that this has been the rockiest start to a fanfiction I have ever written, let alone posted. But the more I write of it and the more I look into it the clearer the picture of how this will turn out is coming. So, things should smooth out as I go along.
> 
> Lastly let me address my major concern right now. The timeline of these events. Further study into the fandom has revealed how muddled things become after year two. I plan to stick with what I can, making small adjustments along the way, till this fic goes completely off the rails and then I will try my hand at rearranging events or adding in even more of my own. I feel like certain things might start happening sooner than they did in canon. Luckily I have quite a few ideas around these events, once we get far enough along. Once more I am only writing this fic for fun so expect erratic updates.
> 
> As for this chapter, it takes place right near the end of Lady Wifi, which is the second major akuma event going off what I am working with. There have been minor ones in-between during the week or so since the last chapter but none of them are of major note. I will be going forward presuming that minor akumas happen all the time and the ones covered in detail are the major ones. The minor ones are more a pain than anything for Ladybug and Chat Noir so they are not directly covered but them dealing with the attacks will be referenced.

**Chapter 02:** Villains or Victims

_Nobody must know who we are, not even us. _

Those words echoed in Marinette’s head as she stared at the closed door. The handle turned and for a moment she thought that Chat was about to pull it wide open. She did not know if she was scared or excited. Instead the door was pushed closed properly. Damn that noble cat. Why did she have to be this way? It would have been so easy if Chat had just pulled the door open. No need to hide behind this mask anymore from the only person she trusted as a superhero. Especially after tonight… after she had been so helpless… after her own friend had almost…

Footsteps retreating from the door made her jump. “Wait,” Marinette cried out as she stepped towards the door. “Chat?”

“Yes My Lady?” Chat said from behind the door.

“What are you doing?” Tikki hissed in Marinette’s ear. “You know she can’t be allowed to know.”

“I know,” Marinette whispered back. “Trust me on this Tikki… please?” The kwami gave her a nod. “How long have you got left Chat?”

“A few minutes,” Chat answered. “Why?”

“Close your eyes,” Marinette said as she placed her hand upon the doorknob. “Please?”

“I did the moment you asked me to.”

“Good Kitty,” Marinette said, and she opened the door. There her partner stood. Dressed in that leather costume with her eyes closed and body relaxed. She did not even react to the sound of the door opening. “Take my hand.” She reached out and took Chat’s hand in her own. “Follow me.” Marinette stepped back inside of the closet, leading chat along with her.

There was a beep from Chat’s ring, two minutes left. “What are we doing My Lady?” Chat asked still with her eyes closed as Marinette moved around her and closed the door. They were still holding hands.

“Sit down,” Marinette instructed as she helped Chat down onto the floor of the supply closet. It was cramped in here as she joined her partner upon the floor, placing her back against Chat’s. “You can open your eyes now.”

Chat opened her eyes to see the shelves of cleaning supplies in front of her and a blank wall. Her grasp on Marinette’s hand tightened. “I promise I won’t look,” Chat said.

“I know you won’t,” Marinette said and squeezed the hand back. “Neither will I but now Tikki and Plagg can have a moment together before we have to go.”

“Good thinking My Lady,” Chat said and smiled to herself. “Claws in.”

Marinette gasped as she felt Chat’s bare hand for the first time in her own grasp. It was so soft. She smiled as she leaned back against the girl and felt her cotton shirt rather than the usual leather costume. “This is nice,” Marinette said quietly.

“It is,” Adrienne said as she tightened her grip upon her Lady’s hand. Her fingers interwound with Ladybug’s. Her skin was so warm within her hand.

Plagg’s gasp of surprise was silenced by Tikki’s hand. She had darted to him just in time to stop him from saying anything about their Chosen’s identities. As they hovered above the two his eyes shifted from Marinette to Adrienne and then back up to Tikki. Tikki shook her head at Plagg. Sighing, Plagg gave a small nod of understanding and she removed her hand from his mouth. “Tikki!” Plagg exclaimed as he took her hands in his and started to spin her around in the air. “It’s been ages.”

“Plagg!” Tikki yelped as she was suddenly spun around. “We’ve only been apart a couple weeks.”

“It felt like it was a lot longer,” Plagg grumbled as he pulled her into a hug.

“Yeah well…” Tikki said before she suddenly got a whiff of something and her nose crinkled up. “… somethings don’t change. Your breath among them! Just what have you been eating.”

“Camembert,” Plagg said with a lopsided grin.

“It’s worse than the Brie,” Tikki whined her eyes watering but whether that was from the happiness of seeing her friend once more or from the smell of his breath was unknown.

“You were right to want to bring those two back together,” Marinette giggled as she felt her partner lean their head back upon her shoulder. She saw the faintest hint of blonde hair in the corner of her eye. “Careful there, Kitty. Boundaries.”

“Don’t worry My Lady,” Adrienne said. “I know how to skirt along many boundaries, but I would never cross them.”

“Good Kitty,” Marinette said. She reached up with the hand not claimed by her partner to stroke those blonde locks. “Thank-you for saving me today.”

“I only returned the favour,” Adrienne said as she nuzzled into her Lady’s soft touch. “You’re the one the got me out from between a rock and a cold place.”

“Ha, ha, ha, very funny Kitty,” Marinette said shaking her head as she continued to pet her partner. Adrienne purred as her Lady’s fingers brushed against a sensitive spot behind her ear. “Did you just… purr?”

“No…” Adrienne said and felt the heat rush to her face. Her whole body seemed to stiffen.

“Yes you did,” Marinette exclaimed. “Do it again. It was so cute.” She tried to find that same spot once more.

Adrienne hissed at her only to get a dissatisfied sigh from her Lady. She let out a breath and relaxed back into the grasp of her Lady, letting those fingers roam through her hair and brush against that same spot. “There My Lady,” Adrienne purred. “Right there’s the spot.”

“Thank-you,” Marinette said as she continued to pet her partner, her fingers working small circles into that particular spot. “Does it feel nice?”

“Yes,” Adrienne said as she felt tears well in her eyes. No one had played with her hair like this since her mother had disappeared. She had closely guarded her hair from everyone but those who needed to style it for photoshoots and even then, that had been allowed with reluctance. Her shoulders tensed as she felt her Lady unknowingly mimic the patterns her mother would make with her own fingers through Adrienne’s hair. She forced herself to relax and think of happier times with her mother.

“You know for a moment there I thought you were going to open the door and see who’s behind my mask,” Marinette whispered. Adrienne stiffened. Her Lady’s voice was sweet as honey. “I almost wish you had.”

“So do I,” Adrienne said, her own voice low and rumbling as she felt those fingers glide through her hair. “We could change that if you wanted.” There was a clear note of hopefulness in her voice.

“I do… but it’s too dangerous,” Marinette said with a sigh. “Our secret identities must remain separate from our masked selves. Even to each other. If one of us was akumatised or affected by the power of an akuma victim…”

“I know,” Adrienne said, her tone harsher than she intended. “Do you think one day that might change?”

“Possibly,” Marinette said. “But till then…”

“I know,” Adrienne said again, though this time her voice was more understanding. “You know you were not the only one nearly unmasked today.”

“Hmm?”

“When I was thrown in the freezer by Lady Wifi… my Miraculous came off and rolled away. I had to scramble to find it. All the while I could hear you outside working on some brilliant way to free me. I barely got it on in time before you busted me out of there. If I had not found it or you had been a few seconds faster…”

“I…” Marinette’s response was cut off by her phone ringing. She pulled her hand out of her partner’s hair to reach for it in her purse. Bringing out the phone she saw it was Alya calling her. She could not very well answer it. Not with her partner here. She considered leaving but the moment she went to stand up, her partner’s hand tightened around her own. Marinette tensed as her phone continued to ring.

“If it’s important… you can leave,” Adrienne said as she released her Lady’s hand.

“I don’t want to,” Marinette said as she grabbed back onto the hand. She looked at Alya’s face on her phone. “It can wait. I’ll call her back later.” She waited for it to ring out before switching the phone off. “I want to stay with you a bit longer.”

“As you wish, My Lady.”

*

“Pick up… pick up… pick up,” Alya chanted as she stared down at her phone. Between the rings the notifications kept popping up. Her phone was connected to the Ladyblog and as with any Ladybug and Chat Noir activity it was getting spammed with messages. Worse still, this was the first major akuma attack since Stoneheart, her phone was going off like a fire alarm. Everyone was talking about Lady Wifi and her attempt to unmask Ladybug. How she almost defeated the superheroine duo and streamed the whole thing live to the world. Everyone knew about Lady Wifi and how evil a villain she had been.

“Goddamn it,” Alya cried as Marinette’s voice mail picked up. She cancelled the call and tried to dial again. All the while the notifications just kept coming. She could see the words across her phone, the people talking and ranting about Lady Wifi. At least Stoneheart did not remember what he had done, he did not have to watch every person he had hurt suffer nor hear everything that came from his mouth. Besides some spotty news coverage and Alya’s own amateur footage shot from a distance there were not many recordings of Stoneheart. The same could not be said for Lady Wifi.

Not only had the whole event been streamed live but it was uploaded directly to the Ladyblog. She had considered deleting it but there was no point. The video had already been ripped and reposted on you-tube, twitter and everywhere else. It was too late to take it back. The word was out. Lady Wifi was on nearly every computer and smart phone in the world. Someone had even started doing rough translations of the videos as to subtitle them in different languages. The world knew of Lady Wifi. Everyone knew what Alya had done.

The phone went straight to voicemail this time and Alya let out a painfilled wail. Her hand tightened around it as the phone continued to beep and buzz. The never-ending notifications were ringing in her ear. Even with her eyes closed she could still read the words like they were burned into her mind. ‘Lady Wifi almost beat them.’ ‘Did you see how she tried to unmask Ladybug? She must really hate her’. ‘She did raise some good points. What do we really know about these masked vigilantes? Can we trust them?’ And worse than the words was the fact the one person she wanted to comfort her was not picking up her bloody phone.

Alya raised her phone to the air and threw it down onto the ground as hard as she could. There was a loud breaking sound that made her cringe but at least the notifications stopped. She fell back against a brick wall, still with her eyes closed, before sinking down it onto the ground. Alya felt the tears running down her face as her shoulders slumped and body began to shake. How could she have done this to the hero she admired the most? She truly was a monster. Even her first and only friend here in Paris knew it. A lump rose in her throat as she realised this was a startlingly similar position to the one she had been in earlier this morning. Right before she became Lady Wifi. Any moment now she would hear that voice…

“Lady?”

Her breath hitched and she felt her body tense up.

“Young Lady, are you okay?”

Alya opened her eyes and wiped the tears away to glance over, out of the alley she was seated in. An elderly Asian man with a Hawaiian shirt stood there. In his hands were half a dozen plastic bags, that looked so heavy they were cutting into his fingers. “I’m fine,” she sniffed.

Master Wang Fu shook his head as he stepped into the alley. He did not speak as he trudged up towards her, the heavy bags by his side making him sway ever so slightly as he reached the crying girl. Placing the bags down he bent and stifled a groan of pain as he reached down and picked up her shattered phone. “Here,” he said holding it out to her. “I think you dropped this.” His eyes lingered on the ladybug charm hanging from the phone that now had a crack through it.

“Thank-you,” Alya said as she accepted the phone back from him. She whimpered as she looked at the blank shattered screen. The fact it was not making a sound probably meant it was more than just a broken screen. Great, Alya thought, now I need a new phone too.

“Are you going to be alright getting home Young Lady?” Master Fu said still bent over as he looked into those watery brown eyes.

“Yeah…” Alya said her gaze meeting his. “I just needed a moment to myself.” She struggled to hold back her tears and smile at the man. “I’m being silly.”

“Crying is good Young Lady,” Master Fu said returning her smile. “Everyone needs to shed some tears now and then. It is not a weakness to cry.”

“It is now days,” Alya whispered looking back down at her broken phone. “If you don’t hold it in you become a danger to everyone around you. You get turned into a… monster.”

“Perhaps,” Master Fu said as internally he felt his anger boil to the surface. Damn that Hawk Moth for weaponizing the one thing every person should be allowed to have. Emotions were not a weapon. They were a vital part of human existence. They were not a weakness to be exploited. They were a strength. They should not be used in this way.

His gaze rose from the child up to the night air. In the dim light of the distant streetlamps he spied the thing that had led him here. A single black butterfly beat its wings above the alley. It circled once before turning tail and flying away. He nodded to himself as the butterfly vanished into the night. Even if he could not transform, he could still help the new Chosen. One akuma at a time. He looked down once more at the girl.

“Well,” he said and winced in pain as he stood back up rubbing his bad back. “If you are sure you are fine getting home I must be going. It is getting late.” He reached for the heavy shopping bag.

“Let me,” Alya said as she grasped the bags and pulled herself up to her feet. She slipped her phone in her back pocket and tried to lift the bags. She hissed in pain while lifting them up. It was a miracle the plastic had not torn. “I’ll carry these for you.”

“That would be appreciated,” Master Fu said bowing his head to the girl. “I do not live far from here.”

Alya grinned down at the elderly man as he turned and led the way. It felt good to help someone out. Especially after tonight. She shivered as they stepped out into the dim moonlight. They walked in silence. This man was not quick on his feet and even if he was Alya doubted she would have been much faster. What was in these bags? Bricks? Glancing down she saw what appeared to be a variety of eastern herbs and spices in large packets. As they passed down the streets, she kept glancing at the man besides her, words on the tip of her tongue but unable to speak them.

“You can talk if you like,” Master Fu said after a few minutes of silence. “Whatever you were crying about must still be troubling you and I have often found talking about it can help.”

“I suppose so,” Alya said biting her bottom lip. She had wanted to talk to Marinette about it but clearly her new friend was too busy tonight. Which was fine. Alya understood that. Besides they had only known each other a few weeks. Or at least that was the excuses she was making for her friend. She guessed a stranger was better than no one. “I was akumatised tonight. You know those villains that have been attacking Paris lately? The ones that Ladybug and Chat Noir have been stopping?” He nodded. “I became one of those.”

“I see,” Master Fu said. There was no judgement in his voice. If anything, there was a strange sense of understanding. “You know some people are calling those people victims rather than villains. From what I understand akumatising is some form of mind control or hypnoses or something along those lines. I do not think those people can be blamed for their actions.”

“Not everyone shares that opinion,” Alya murmured her head downturned. Plenty of people online held the opinion that it was the fault of the villain for becoming akumatised in the first place. “And I’ve seen what I did. I watched it all on my phone. The video of me turning on my idol. Trying to demask her. And I almost did it too.” Alya did not notice but Master Fu stiffened at these words. “There was such hatred in my eyes and that’s the last thing I want to look at Ladybug with.”

“Oh?” Master Fu said his mind racing. If this was true and Ladybug had come so close to being unmasked already… what did this mean? Had he chosen correctly? He knew the answer to that question before he even finished thinking it. Yes, he was sure in his choice for both the new Chosen. Then if it was not that, what was missing? Had he underestimated the threat? He hummed to himself as he thought that over.

“Ladybug is my hero,” Alya declared her voice picking up. “I want to help her not hurt her. But when I was Lady Wifi… I almost ruined the whole thing. For both of them, their secret identities are one of the most important things. If I had of exposed her, then who knows what would have happened? Hawk Moth could have attacked her civilian identity. He could have gone after her family and friends. Threatened the people she loved. I almost put all of them and her in danger. I almost ruined everything.”

“But Ladybug and Chat Noir stopped you,” Master Fu said giving her a confident smile. “They saved you.”

“That they did,” Alya said with a bright smile down at the elderly man. “Only just though… I was so close to unmasking Ladybug. I had her trapped and if it was not for the magic of her Miraculous, I would have been able to tear that mask right off. She was helpless.”

Master Fu’s eyes widened. She had had her hands on Ladybug’s mask? Close enough that she could have taken it off if the magic had not protected it. If she had gone after the Miraculous rather than the mask. If Hawk Moth had of instructed her to remove those… than that would have been it, he would have won. Without Ladybug the akumas would be unstoppable. Even if Chat Noir had of managed to hang onto her own Miraculous it would only have been a matter of time till Hawk Moth’s akumas would have gotten it from her. The threat was worse than Master Fu had thought.

“And that’s the last thing I want,” Alya said shaking her head. “I want to help Ladybug and Chat Noir. I set up my blog because I wanted to tell everyone about how awesome they are and do what I could to help them too. I wanted to know their identities because I wanted to help them. Not to hurt them. Least of all hurt their loved ones. I might not remember what I did but I still did it. I saw myself want to expose Ladybug not so I could help her but so I could hurt her.”

“Lady Wifi did that,” Master Fu said his words making Alya stop in her tracks. “Lady Wifi wanted to see her hurt and did all those things to Ladybug. You did nothing wrong Young Lady. You were a victim not a villain. Despite what anyone else may say you are innocent of the things Lady Wifi did. The fault lies with Hawk Moth.”

Alya smiled at the man as his words hit home. “Thank-you,” she sniffled. The weight of the bags in her hands felt like nothing compared to the weight lifted off of her shoulders.

“This is me,” Master Fu said and gestured at the building beside him. Together they walked up to the door of a massage shop. “Thank-you so much for helping me with these.” He opened the door and turned to take the bags from her. “Will you wait here a moment while I place these inside? I have something for you as thanks for this.”

“That’s not needed,” Alya said raising her hands. “I was happy to carry those bags for you. And besides, you’ve already helped me so much. Having an ear to talk to was just what I needed.”

“I insist,” Master Fu said stepping inside. “Wait right there, please.”

“Okay,” Alya said as the man disappeared into the shop. There was only so much resistance one could put up before it was seen as being rude. She wondered to herself what the man was bringing for her. If it was money, she was going to refuse it again. No way was she letting him pay her for such a small favour. Carrying his bags had been the right thing to do. Even if it had almost broken off her fingers. She flexed her hands as she looked at the red marks across them.

“Here we are,” Master Fu said as he returned holding a small octagonal box with a strange red design upon the top. “This is something I found at the market today that caught my eye. An old pendent that seemed quite interesting. I think it would look nice on you.” He held out the box to her. “Please take this and open it at home. Consider it a gift for doing the right thing tonight. Very few would stop to help an old man such as myself.”

“I believe more people then you think would,” Alya said taking the box from his hands. “The world is not as bad as it might seem. Even with villains… victims of the akuma and Hawk Moth around. There are heroes here too.”

“That there are, Young Lady, that there are,” Master Fu said with a smile and a nod. “You should be getting home.”

“Right,” Alya said as she pocketed the box. “Goodnight Sir.”

“Goodnight Young Lady,” Master Fu giving her a wave as he closed the door.

Not a moment passed before a voice spoke in his ear. “Do you think that was wise, Master? More Miraculouses out there means more for Hawk Moth to try and acquire. Not to mention the possibility of the same thing that happened last time occurring again. She has already been turned once by Hawk Moth.”

“It will not happen Wayzz,” Master Fu said as he turned to the kwami. “Yes, she has been turned by Hawk Moth once but that has merely lit the fire in her eyes. Never again will she allow him to turn her. Of all the Chosen I think this one will now be the hardest to turn against them. She knows what it means to be a hero without the mask. She will make a fine one with the mask.” He wondered back down the hall. “Besides, it sounds like Ladybug and Chat Noir could use the help. Hawk Moth should not be underestimated.”

“Of course, Master,” Wayzz said with a bow of his head as he rushed after the elderly man.

*

“Do I have to point out the irony in this whole situation?” Plagg asked as he sat with Tikki in the empty hotel kitchen. They had left their Chosen behind in the supply closet when it was apparent that the two kwamis were the last thing on the pair’s mind. “Not only do they know each other but they both have crushes on the other. Only your girl is crushing on mine out of the mask while mine is crushing on yours while in the mask.” Once more Plagg chuckled, his laughter echoing through the kitchen.

“You’ve already said this twice,” Tikki remarked as she reached out and nudged Plagg. “But you know we can’t tell them.”

“I know,” Plagg said with a sigh, his whole body deflating. “I just wish we could so than Adrienne would be… able to stop pining over her.”

“Or rather,” Tikki said with a smirk. “So she would be happy.”

“Whatever,” Plagg huffed and stuffed another chunk of Camembert into his mouth.

“Caring is never a bad thing Plagg,” Tikki said as she nibbled on her cookie. They were nowhere near as nice as the ones from the bakery, but they would do. “Especially about your Chosen.” Plagg merely grumbled. “Finish your cheese and let’s go check on the poor love birds. Who knows? Maybe if we’re lucky something will have happened.”

“Fat chance,” Plagg said before swallowing the last of his cheese. “Alright… I’m good.” With a burp that made Tikki scoff they floated down through the floor and back into the storage cupboard. What they found were a pair of exhausted teens fast asleep against each other. “Oi Kid get up!”

“Plagg! Be gentle,” Tikki scolded as she flew down to her chosen and shook the girl gently. “Hey dear… wake up.” Both of them quietly groaned as they rose sleepily to the pair of kwamis waking them.

“What time is it?” Marinette said as she blinked her eyes open and slowly sat back up straight. She could feel her partner against her, coming to as well.

“Almost eight,” Adrienne murmured as she squinted her eyes at the bright screen of her phone. “I need to get back home in… well probably an hour ago.”

“Me too,” Marinette said as she shifted to get to her feet.

“Wait…” Adrienne said her grasp upon her Lady’s hand once more. “Thank-you for tonight. I know you are concerned about us finding out each other’s identities so you took a big risk letting us stay like this… even if it was for only an hour.”

“It was worth it,” Marinette said squeezing her partner’s hand back. “I only care about our identities to protect you and myself. Not to mention our family and friends. All I want is everyone to be safe and happy. If Hawk Moth learns he can target us through those around us…”

“None of them will be safe or happy,” Adrienne said with a nod. “I understand. Nevertheless thank-you Milady. Thank-you for being true to yourself and caring so much about others while indulging my own selfish desires.”

“Oh Kitty,” Marinette sighed. She pulled her partner’s hand up to her chest, holding it close. “Your desires are not selfish and even if they were they are my desires too. I want to know just who’s pretty face is under that mask of yours.” She brought the hand up to her mouth and kissed her partner’s fingers. “I want everyone I love to be happy and that includes you. But it is late, and I am sure my parents are worrying so I must be going Chaton.”

“Of course, My Lady,” Adrienne said before she swallowed the lump in her throat. “Good Night Ladybug.”

“Good Night Chat,” Marinette said as she got up to her feet and walked out the door.

“Oh brother,” Plagg groaned as he hovered by his starry eyed Chosen. Adrienne was staring down at her fingers as if seeing them for the first time ever. “Are you going to be alright or do I need to start looking for someone to carry you home?”

“She loves me Plagg,” Adrienne said with a blissful sigh. “She said she loves me and she wants me to be happy.”

“Yes, you and everyone else in her life,” Plagg pointed out. “And she didn’t say she loved you like love loved you, just that she…”

“I know… but it’s close,” Adrienne said as she raised her fingers to her lips and kissed the spot where her Lady’s lips had traced. “The fact she cares about so many people so deeply makes her all the more loveable. I was right to fall for her.”

“Urrrrrgh,” Plagg moaned as he slumped down into Adrienne’s lap. “Stupid humans…”

“You love us Plagg,” Adrienne said with a giggle as she popped the kwami into her pocket and stood up. She wondered how long she should wait for her Lady to leave the scene. A few more minutes could not hurt. She was already late and probably going to get told off for that. Then again that would probably be if her dad made time to join her for dinner let alone cared if she was there or not. Adrienne sighed to herself as she checked her phone.

The moment Marinette had left the supply closet she refused to slow down. Even as Tikki zipped after her and into her purse she did not let her pace faulter. Marinette could feel the desire to turn back around and head back for Chat but she refused to let herself fall victim to that. This was for the best, she kept thinking in her head. This was the best way to remain safe and keep everyone happy. They wore masks for a reason. It was for the protection of the people around those under the mask.

As Marinette left the hotel and started down the street, she pulled out her phone and switched it back on. She hoped her parents were not too worried about her. Sure enough, there were about half a dozen messages from her parents concerned about her but not panicking yet. What was more worrying were the twenty odd messages from Alya. She checked through them and saw they included several links to message boards on the Ladyblog. Marinette skimmed the linked posts and a worried look came over her face. The things they were saying about Lady Wifi… Marinette immediately phoned Alya.

The call went straight to voice mail. That was not good. She glanced up and down the abandoned street before ducking into an alley. Texting her parents to let them know she would be home soon she opened her purse. If Marinette could not get a hold of Alya right now than perhaps Ladybug could. Besides if things were really bad this could lead to another akuma and that was the last thing they needed tonight. Could someone even get reakumatised? Marinette did not want to find out right now. “Tikki, spots on,” Marinette said and felt the pink light engulf her before she threw her yo-yo into the air and took off into the night.

*

The walk home was a sobering affair for Alya. The moment she got in the door she was pulled into a hug by both her parents. They fretted over her and doted on her. All the while her little sisters ran amok while her older sister grumbled about how Alya needed to toughen up to defend herself from these akumas. None of them understood what Alya had been through. What she was still going through even after it. Alya grinned and beared the treatment, pretending to be okay till she was finally alone in her room. Only then did she slump down onto the bed and burry her head in her pillow.

Something poked into her side and Alya jumped slightly. Reaching down into her pocket she brought out the small wooden box. The gift from the old man had nearly been forgotten about by Alya. Brow furrowed she opened the box to see a strange looking pendent. It was a dull grey curved charm weirdly shaped heart upon a golden chain. Before Alya could get a better look at it the necklace shone a golden light and from it came this small golden orb that shot right towards Alya.

“Holy shish kabobs!” Alya exclaimed as she scampered back across her bed. The golden orb dispersed with a pop and a strange fox-like creature appeared hovering in the air. “Ahhhhh!” The blanket under her slipped off the bed and she tumbled down onto the floor with a crash. “… ouch.”

“That did not look fun,” the strange fox creature said spiralling through the air down to Alya.

“What are you?” Alya exclaimed as she winced in pain.

“I’m Trixx, your kwami,” Trixx said with a smile, his purple eyes sparkling as his ears twitched.

“Kwami?” Alya said with a frown. “What like a spirit animal or something?”

“More like a little God,” Trixx said with a grin as he came to rest mere inches away from Alya’s shocked face. “I am the kawmi of Illusion beholden to the Fox Miraculous.”

“Miraculous… those are the things Ladybug and Chat Noir use to become superheroes, right? And the things Hawk Moth wants from them. Wait a moment…” Alya said her eyes widening as she glanced from Trixx to the poster on her wall of Magestia. “… is that necklace the Fox Miraculous? Can I use it to become a superhero?”

“Of course,” Trixx said as he bopped Alya on the nose with his paw. “You are my Chosen. One picked to wield the powers of the Fox Miraculous.”

“I was chosen? By what? Fate?”

“… sure,” Trixx said with a nod. “Let’s go with that. Anyway, this is the Fox Miraculous up here…” He pounced through the air back to the bed as Alya sat up and turned to the open box. “See.” Alya looked at the necklace within the box. The charm looked kind of like Trixx’s tail coiled back on itself into a heart shape. “All you have to do is wear this and say ‘Trixx, let’s pounce!’ to become a superhero with the power to craft illusions. But when you make an illusion you then only have five minutes before…”

There came a knocking outside Alya’s room. “I must have made too much noise,” Alya hissed as she dove for the box and snapped it closed. “You better hide before…” Trixx disappeared the moment Alya closed the box. “Or that works…” She hid the box under her bed before turning to her door. “Come in.”

It was not her door that opened but rather her window and Alya glanced over to see a masked face that almost made her fall back off her bed. “Ladybug!” Alya exclaimed before clamping her hand over her mouth. What had she just said about making too much noise?

“Hello there,” Ladybug said with a wave as she remained in the window, perched on the fire escape. “Sorry I had to run off on you before. I just wanted to check up on you. Mind if I speak with you for a few minutes?”

“Of course,” Alya said glancing around her room, which even without her bed messed up was a bit of a pigsty. “Might be better if I come out there. Hold on.” Ladybug moved out of the way and Alya clambered over her desk and out the window. She glanced at the heroine as they shifted around on the fire escape. “Wow you look so cool up close. Is that your Miraculous?” She eyed the earrings. “Did they come with the costume or make it or what?

“Yes, they are,” Ladybug answered with a nod. “The costume comes from them. It’s part of a magical transformation. Think Sailor Moon.”

“Do all Miraculous transform people like that?” Alya asked feeling a little giddy at the thought of what her superhero costume would be.

“I suppose so,” Ladybug said with a shrug. “I’ve never seen anyone else transform with a Miraculous but I assume Chat doesn’t carry around a leather gimp suit that she has to struggle into anytime they are needed.”

“I don’t know,” Alya said tapping her chin. “With the ease that she flaunts herself around in that suit I would not be surprised if it’s not the only leather outfit she owns.” Alya smirked at the red tint that came over Ladybug’s cheeks. “But you’ve seriously never seen her transform?”

“We don’t know each other’s secret identities,” Ladybug said leaning back on the railing of the fire escape. “It’s safer if we don’t. For both us and those we love.”

“But surely if you knew each other’s secrets you could help each other better protect them and your loved ones,” Alya argued. Her own thoughts went to the Fox Miraculous right there in her bedroom. Should she tell Ladybug about it?

“I suppose so but that can also backfire,” Ladybug explained. “We already know Hawk Moth can take control of people either directly through his akumas or maybe even through the abilities of the akumatised villains he creates,”

“Victims,” Alya interjected. “They’re victims not villains.”

Ladybug frowned at the look upon her best friend’s face. She could see the pain within those deep brown eyes. “Of course,” Ladybug said. “Well if one of us became akumatised or fell victim to an effect by the akumatised victim we might reveal the other’s secrets along with our own. Right now, we don’t know enough about what the victims are capable of. If they can refuse Hawk Moth or if they have any real control over themselves. Are they just puppets of his or something else?”

“He needs you to agree to a deal with him,” Alya said biting her bottom lip. “That’s the last thing I remember before I was akumatised. He asked me to take the power he granted and become Lady Wifi. I’m not sure if you can fight it. I did not even try. It felt like I was overpowered by my desire to unmask you. From the moment that butterfly hit me I felt like I was a slave to my emotions. I can’t remember anything else after that, but I know that if it ever happened again… perhaps I could fight it? Maybe? I don’t know but I never want to feel that way again. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more.” She felt tears welling again in her eyes.

“Hey,” Ladybug said and reached out with a hand to place upon Alya’s shoulder. “You just told me more than I have ever known about akumas. I did not even know how to purify them the first time around. This is helpful. Thank-you.” She smiled at Alya and saw the smile bet returned. “You are right. The people that get akumatised are victims not villains. Your actions were not your own. The fault does not lie with you but with Hawk Moth. He is responsible for this.”

“You’re the second person tonight to tell me this,” Alya sniffled. “But despite that I cannot help feeling like it is still my fault. Before I became Lady Wifi I did want to unmask you. Those were my desires and feelings. Hawk Moth just amplified them and made me unable to not think of them. I wanted to unmask you for my own selfish reasons. To prove I was right. To prove I could help you. To make myself feel important and valuable. I wanted to help you and instead I almost jeopardised the safety of you and your loved ones. I became a villain when I wanted to be a superhero.”

“Victim, Alya, you became a victim,” Ladybug said her grasp on the girl’s shoulder tightening. “You said it yourself. You are a victim of Hawk Moth’s, not a villain to myself or Chat Noir, you were as much a victim of this as anyone else you went after. And you have helped us. You just told me that akumatised people are victims not villains so don’t go thinking of yourself as the bad guy here. You have taught me this so unless you are willing to call everyone else that has been akumatised, or will be in future, villains don’t call yourself one. They are victims. And I know that now thanks to you. I understand what it means to be akumatised. No memory of your actions, enslaved to your emotions and controlled by Hawk Moth. They are victims and victims are not to be blamed.”

“Thanks for that Ladybug,” Alya said wiping away tears from her face. “I don’t know when it will fully sink in but it helps to hear that said over and over again.”

“Then I will keep telling you it, however many times you need to hear it till you stop blaming yourself,” Ladybug said as she reached up with her other hand to grasp Alya’s opposite shoulder. “I’m going to give you a hug now if that’s okay.”

“I’d like that,” Alya said as Ladybug pulled her into an embrace. She stifled a few sobs into the superhero’s shoulder. For a girl that seemed around Alya’s age Ladybug had a strong grip on her but a very tender hold. Her embrace reminded Alya of the few hugs she had shared with Marinette. It made her feel safe and protected while also loved.

“Is there someone you can talk to about this?” Ladybug asked as she released Alya from the hug, much to each of their reluctance. “I can’t exactly swing by every time you need a pick me up. As much as I would enjoy that.”

“I think I would enjoy it even more,” Alya said as she glanced inside. “Maybe snag an interview or two out of you for my blog. I already plan now to do a piece on the dangers of exposing your secret identity. Even if my intentions had originally been to help you it was still wrong to try. It put a lot of people in danger.”

“Including yourself,” Ladybug said giving Alya a serious look. “If you had of uncovered my identity and Hawk Moth learned of this he would have come after you. It’s the same reason I don’t share my identity with Chat and I tell her every time to never share hers with me. Maybe one day will come when we can share them, or they will come out of us unintentionally but for now this is the way it is. It’s about safety.” Alya nodded her head in agreement. “Now I ask you again, do you have someone to talk to about this?”

“I thought I did,” Alya said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “But she wasn’t there when I needed her. Then again what do I expect? I’ve only known her for a short time and it’s not like I have any other friends here or anything really. Moving sucked. I lost all my friends and had to start again. Now the one friend I get is not around when I need her most. It’s not fair.”

Ladybug glanced away, looking out over the city skyline, to hide her guilty look. “Maybe you should give her another chance,” Ladybug said tentatively. “People are busy and sometimes our friends are not always around when we need them. But true friends, good friends, the ones that can be your best friends, they’ll make up for it when they cannot be around for you. They’ll be there for you in the end.”

“You’re right,” Alya said with a deep sigh as she fidgeted with her busted phone. “I’ve just had such an emotional night. Like look what I did to my phone. I should not take this out on Marinette just over a missed phone call.” That and the twenty odd messages, Ladybug thought to herself. “I really like her too so I think I can easily forgive this. Mums going to kill me when I tell her I need a new phone.” She toyed with the ladybug charm that was on the end of her phone. Even it had a deep crack running through it. “Also I’m still suspended for a week. Fucking Chloé.”

“I pity that conversation with your mother. I know mine would flay me alive,” Ladybug said. She still felt guilty over ignoring Alya in favour of Chat. “Maybe I can help with the phone trouble?”

“Really?” Alya said perking up as she glanced over at Ladybug.

“I don’t think Miraculous Cure will work on it since it was damaged after the akuma was destroyed but maybe my Lucky Charm will provide a solution?” Ladybug mused.

“Isn’t that an abuse of your superpowers?” Alya asked.

“Not if it’s for my best f… favourite blogger,” Ladybug said with a smirk as she reached for her yo-yo.

“You read my blog?” Alya exclaimed, her eyes wide.

“Of course,” Ladybug said as she threw her yo-yo into the air. “Lucky Charm!” A small object fell into Ladybug’s hand before Alya could get a clear look at it. “Well it’s not a new phone or a way to fix your old phone but perhaps it will help cheer you up. Here.” She held out her palm. “For when you get a new phone.”

Alya’s eyes sparkled as she reached down and took the tiny ladybug charm upon a black spotted red string. “Thank-you,” Alya said with a big smile. “This means a lot to me.”

“It’s nothing,” Ladybug said, as she glanced away, a blush upon her face. “It’s just a charm.”

“Not coming from you, it’s not,” Alya said as she leaned in and placed a kiss upon both Ladybug’s cheeks. “I will treasure this forever. It’s my own new lucky charm.” She winked at Ladybug, who was grinning ear to ear even with a blush upon her face. At that moment there was a beeping sound from Ladybug’s earrings.

“I have to go,” Ladybug said stepping away and readying her yo-yo.

“Right…” Alya said as she stepped back out of the way. “One last question before you go Ladybug?”

“Shoot.”

“Was it easy to become a superhero? Like the decision to go out and face Stoneheart? Was that easy to make?”

There was a long pause as Ladybug looked back at Alya. She was caught off guard for a moment by the question. Finally, she answered. “Yes… but in retrospect I wish I had thought about it more,” Ladybug said. “I would have liked to give it more consideration, but I just ended up reacting the first time. The second time was different.”

“What was different about the second time?”

“I doubted myself. Still do all the time but back then I thought maybe someone else I knew was more deserving of this role than me. That they could do an infinitely better job than I could as a superhero.” Something in Ladybug’s eyes spoke to Alya in a language she did not understand. It was as if she was not privy to the message they were sending her, but they were still sending it none the less. There was an unspoken double meaning here. Extra context that Alya was not gifted. “In the end I was forced to take up the role once more to save a life. I would never regret it, especially now, but I do think that if I had had more time I would have used it to think things over very carefully.”

Alya nodded as she climbed back in through her window. “Goodnight Ladybug.”

“Goodnight Alya.” Ladybug said and leapt from the fire escape with her yo-yo cast out, disappearing into the night.

Alya sighed to herself as she closed the window and slumped down in her computer chair. Her mind went back to the box under her bed and the Fox Miraculous within it. Was she really cut out to be a superhero? Was it the life she wanted? She had read more than enough comics to know the dangers of such a life. Her eyes flickered to her computer screen. The desktop image was a family photo. Even with a mask she would be putting her family in peril. Not to mention her friends as well. Those back at her old school and… Marinette. No wonder Ladybug and Chat Noir were so guarded of their secret identities.

Speaking of which, Alya had an article to write for the Ladyblog. She sat up at her computer. Maybe focusing on this would give her time and space to process the idea of becoming a superhero. As inviting as Trixx’s offer of superpowers was, Alya still wanted to be sure before she even put that necklace on. Ladybug’s answer to her question had certainly given Alya a lot to think about. Not to mention the rest of the conversation. She opened a word document and quickly set to work. First came a title _‘Secret Identities and Who they Protect’_ and the rest started to flow like water down a river. Alya supposed that the good part about being suspended for a week was that she had time to pump out a few articles for the Ladyblog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this was my second chapter and one of the main reasons I wanted to write this fanfiction was to include characters like Rena Rouge earlier on. Also to include them as full time members of the team because there is nothing more that I love than superhero teams and temporary membership is bull shit. Give me a team of heroes that have each other’s backs all the time. 
> 
> Second problem I have with the show, among many others that I will not voice right now, is how dumb the camouflage mode is on the Miraculouses. The Ladybug Miraculous camouflage is good. Drab, everyday earrings that no one would pay any attention to because they are one in a million. The Black Cat Miraculous is passable in camouflage mode but not great due to the distinctive shape of the ring. Even the Butterfly Miraculous does a better job of hiding as it just becomes a single gemstone that could easily be hidden on something else. But the Bee and Fox Miraculous are the worst at hiding ever.
> 
> The Bee Miraculous literally just loses its colours. The style remains the exact same along with the pattern on it and the size. It’s ridiculous. If Chloé had not already outed herself as Queen Bee in her first appearance I would be so mad that if camouflage mode fooled anyone. The Fox Miraculous is even worse. Camouflaged it doesn’t even lose its very distinctive colouring not to mention its shape. All it gets is a little less bright and the gold segments go away. Beyond that it is basically a beacon calling out to anyone who Rena Rouge is if Alya ever wears it while not transformed. Hence why I have changed it in this fanfiction to not only lose the colours, becoming a grey-silver, but curl up into a vaguely heart shape, making it look like a simple heart necklace.
> 
> Anyway, this was very fun to write. I enjoy Alya a lot and so I will be including more of her and hopefully other heroes in the future. Speaking of which next up is Reflekta which will be the first appearance of Rena Rouge and her introduction onto the team. Stay tuned for that unless I get side-tracked with something else but that is what I am planning.
> 
> As always, feedback and comments are appreciated.


	3. A Fox in the Hen House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya continues to debate about whether to become a superhero or not but when trouble on school photo day comes a knocking her hand is forced. Hawk Moth is alarmed by the appearance of another Miraculous holder and takes drastic measures to up his game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this fanfiction started as two separate half-ideas that were these last two chapters, respectively, that I merged into a kind of story. This is the first chapter I would say that starts to brings those ideas together with our three heroes fighting as a team. I have a vague road map now for the story going forward but hang on because it’s sure to be a bumpy road and I am an erratic driver that likes to change their mind on where they are going and how to get there. As such I will be changing the description and title of the overall story to match this.
> 
> Just to note two quick things. As I have said before I have aged up the characters and as such, they are in Lycée rather than Collège. To keep things simple, I have not changed much about this school layout or anything else really, due both to my own laziness and lack of knowledge around French schooling. The other thing I will touch on is something I ranted about in the end notes of the last chapter. The camouflaged Miraculouses. As you will see I have altered the Black Cat Miraculous camouflage design to blend in better. I think it is far less distinctive as a simple metal ring. Anyway, read on and have fun.

**Chapter 03:** A Fox in the Hen House

Alya was in two minds about this, she had been for the last week and a half. This whole situation with the Fox Miraculous was weighing hard on her. Becoming a superhero should have been an easy thing to do. She had only dreamed of it every day of her life since she was six when she read her first comic. Ladybug’s words rang in her ears about taking the time to consider this decision before she made it. Alya had done exactly that. She had read more than enough superhero comics to know the dangers and drawbacks of this masked life.

Over the week she was suspended from school, Alya spent most of her time either writing or staring at the octagonal box that sat upon her desk. She dared not open it again, the temptation was too great to risk dangling that necklace in front of her face. As long as she kept the box closed than she could not be tempted by it. Despite this she was always careful to keep the box on her. After all, who knew when she would make her decision or who else might get their hands on this if she did not protect it. It sat on her desk as she worked, in her backpack when she went anywhere or locked in her school locker while in class. She even slept on it; the box stuffed under her pillow.

It was as she was locking it away in her locker at school one morning that something hit her as strange. Marinette was here. Early. Well early for Marinette. Before the second bell at least. She glanced over at the girl, who seemed lost in the mirror within her own locker. Her brow furrowed as she shut her locker and gazed at Marinette. The poor girl looked nervously between her pigtails while chewing her nails. She was dressed rather nicely today, her best jeans, and was that blush to go along with her usual eyeliner?

“Girl what has you so worked up?” Alya asked, wondering if a certain blonde-haired model was hiding around here to have Marinette this wound up. As adorkable as Marinette could be nothing quite beat the stumbling mess she became when faced with her crush.

“Are my pigtails even?” Marinette said her hands tugging on her hair.

“Of course, they are,” Alya snorted shaking her head as she reached out and disconnected Marinette’s fingers from her hair. “Just like every day, your pigtails are perfect Mari. You look as cute as a button.”

“Thanks,” Marinette said the faintest blush visible through her makeup. “Sorry. I’ve been freaking out all morning.” Honestly, Alya had not noticed. Although she had made up with Marinette rather easily there were other things on Alya’s mind. In particular a certain kwami and the offer it made her. “With school photos and all happening today I have been…”

“School photos?” Alya asked blinking.

“You didn’t notice?”

Alya glanced around and saw Marinette was not the only one freaking out. Chloé was chief among them using her best friend, Sabrina, as a personal makeup assistant but even Kim was trying desperately to get his hair to stand up right while Max kept shining his glasses over and over again. She saw Rose leading a slightly distressed Juleka away. Turning back to Marinette she gave the girl a sheepish look. “No…” Alya said with a shrug. “… I guess I’ve been distracted.”

“Are you okay?” Marinette asked. A worried look filled her eyes. Marinette hoped that Alya was not still suffering after her arkumatisation. “You haven’t been reading any more of those messages online about Lady Wifi, have you?”

“I have actually,” Alya said with a smile. “I set up a proper forum on the Ladyblog with a whole section dedicated to victims of the akumas. I’ve got some really great moderators and honestly it’s helped to be able to talk to other people.”

“That’s a really good idea Alya,” Marinette said with a smile. “I think that’s really important.” She beamed at her friend. “Do you want me to help you quickly get ready for our photos.”

“Yes please,” Alya said with a nod. “My parents will skin me alive if I don’t make a half decent effort. Especially for our first photos in Lycée.”

“Well I don’t have the right foundation to help you but I know who will,” Marinette said with a grin as she closed her locker. “Let’s go see Juleka and Rose. They are always doing the makeup for the theatre club.” She hooked her arm around Alya’s and started to lead her out towards the door. Unfortunately for Marinette it was at that moment that Adrienne Agreste walked in and Marinette went blank from one look at the woman.

Adrienne was not dressed in anything particularly out there. She wore her usual white button shirt with the high collar over a black striped shirt, leather belt around her waist and designer jeans ending in her Gabriel branded burnt-orange sneakers. The only jewellery she wore was a single metal band ring around her finger, no gemstone or design upon it. Her style, with the short-brushed hair, was considered rather masculine but the look worked well for her. Marinette had seen photos from Adrienne’s younger modelling days when she was dressed more feminine and it was clear to see this newer style worked better for her image. It helped that her arms were quite muscular, and she was very tall for a girl her age. Marinette just wanted to be held in those strong arms. She sighed internally.

“Look out girl,” Alya said pulling Marinette to the side moments before she had been about to bump right into Adrienne.

Caught by surprise, Marinette stumbled and almost pulled Alya down as she went for a classic Marinette brand faceplant only to have a firm hand grasp her shoulder. She was steadied and glanced up to see concerned green eyes staring down at her. “Are you okay Marinette?” Adrienne asked, her tone was gentle as a summer breeze.

“Sorry for almost falling for you…” Marinette opened her mouth and words poured out. “I mean I’m not sorry for almost falling for you… I am… I’m not… what I mean to say is… on you… sorry for almost falling on you.” Marinette decided that shutting up might be the best cause of action as her face went from pink to red.

“Okay… well as long as you are alright,” Adrienne said as she patted Marinette on the shoulder and stepped aside.

“Mmhmm,” Marinette hummed not trusting her mouth to say anything more.

“Don’t mind Marinette,” Alya said with a friendly smile. “Just class photo nerves.”

“Of course,” Adrienne said with a nod. While everyone around her was panicked and stressing over these class photos Adrienne was calm and collective. This was just another day to her. Only she got to be in a group photo rather than singles or couples. That was something Adrienne was looking forward to. A photo with her new class and friends was something she had never had before. She smiled as Alya dragged Marinette away. She gave them a half wave.

“Bye,” Marinette squeaked out with a frantic little wave of her own.

Adrienne frowned as she noticed the hint of a glare from Alya shot her way turned into a forced smile. She knew that Marinette was weird around her, but she had never noticed Alya looking at her like that. She wondered what that was about? Did she hate Adrienne just like Marinette probably still did? Even though Marinette claimed to have forgiven her for the gum misunderstanding Adrienne could not help feeling that she got a cold shoulder from the girl every time she tried to talk to her. That and the way she always tripped over her feet and words around Adrienne. The girl was clearly nervous and uncomfortable around her. She sighed to herself as the two girls disappeared out the door.

“Girl you got it so bad,” Alya laughed as she forced her features into a more neutral expression. There was more than a little jealousy Alya held for Adrienne when it came to her new friend. It was silly to think of herself competing against Marinette’s crush for her attention but alas Alya constantly felt herself bidding for Marinette to focus on her rather than Adrienne. As she had thought many times already, making new friends sucked and keeping them was hard. “I can’t believe you said that to her.”

“I hate you,” Marinette groaned lulling her head onto Alya’s shoulder. “I just can’t help it when I’m around her. She makes my heart race and stomach fill with butterflies. It’s like being hit by a lightning bolt every time I look into her eyes.”

“She’s got a dreamy personality and knows how to flaunt her body I’ll give you that, but total golden girl,” Alya said rolling her eyes. “Not my type of woman. Needs a little spice to go along with that sugar. Know what I mean?”

“I think I know exactly the type of woman you mean,” Marinette said thinking of Chat. “Maybe I’ll introduce you to someone like that someday.”

“Maybe you will,” Alya said. Or maybe that’s you, Alya thought only to shove that thought deep into the recesses of her mind. “Let’s go doll me up for this photoshoot.”

“I can’t believe I am going to be in a photo with Adrienne!”

Alya rolled her eyes once more as they wondered over towards Rose and Juleka. The two were happy to help Alya with her makeup and giggle over Marinette’s crush talk. Alya held her tongue. She was quite pleased with the results. Rose and Juleka clearly knew their stuff when it came to cosmetics, even with darker tones of skin such as Alya’s. Juleka seemed down on herself and when they found out why Marinette became confident they would beat Juleka’s photo curse.

Unfortunately, they did not count on the Chloé factor. Marinette, bless her big heart, came up with a plan to delete the photo and force a retake. Alya did not approve of Marinette’s plan. She knew her friend’s heart was in the right place, but it did not feel like the right thing to do. It did not feel like something a superhero would do. It felt like something Lady Wifi would do. She did not raise an objection to Marinette’s plan but was secretly glad when she was not asked to play any part in it. Breathing a sigh of relief, she went back to trying to mind her own business.

That relief did not last long as soon enough the newest akuma victim showed up. It was a girl in pink calling herself Reflekta with the ability to turn people into carbon copies of herself. She seemed to have an issue with being ignored. Alya did not need three guesses to work out who this had once been. While Nino shot off one way from her and everyone else ran around in panic, Alya knew exactly where she needed to go. She dashed straight towards her locker, vaulting over a collection of dropped school bags and leaping towards the door. It was as she was in the air that she felt something warm against her back and a bright light reflected in the window near her.

Alya stumbled in through the door, tripping and falling worse than Marinette on a bad day. She groaned in pain as she went to pick herself up. As she did, she noticed her hand was pink and had long green nails at the end of it. Her eyes widened as she hurried to her locker and fumbled with the lock before wrenching it open. Sure enough in the mirror was not Alya’s face reflected but that of Reflekta. “Crap I hope this still works,” Alya said grasping the octagonal box and hiding it best she could under her arms. She glanced around. She needed a place to transform. She considered the girl’s bathroom, but she could hear a tap running in there. She glanced over to the other side of the room and smiled. That would work.

*

Adrienne Agreste peaked out from the girl’s bathroom and saw that the screams she had heard were indeed the first signs of an akuma attack. All these people huddled around each other, half of them looking like a weird circus clown in pink latex but none of them terrorising the school. Clearly, they had been affected by the powers of an akumatised victim, as her Lady had started referring to them as. Adrienne knew exactly what to do. She could duck inside and transform. Her eyes caught one of the affected people moving with purpose. Well as much purpose as they could have in platform heels that size. They were sprinting towards the boy’s bathroom across the locker room and under their arms was a familiar wooden box.

Was that her Lady? Adrienne wondered, had they already gotten their hands on her and transformed her into that? She hoped that it would not affect the Miraculous transformation. Adrienne ducked back into the bathroom and pulled out Plagg from her jacket. “Plagg, claws out!” She shouted before her kwami could make a single remark. Her ring turned from grey to black and changed in shape to match that of the Black Cat Miraculous before sucking Plagg in and transforming her into Chat Noir. Grinning to herself she bolted from the bathroom and out into the fray.

She took cover and paused to assess the situation. It was something she had seen her Lady do a few times now. Get a lay of the battlefield before rushing all the way in. No villain in sight but clear signs of one having been here. The front entrance was blocked off for one and she could see abandoned school bags littering the basketball courts. Chat cursed under her breath at the sound of Nino’s voice calling out behind her. He was her best mate but damn if he had not just given away her position right when she was trying to do what Ladybug would want her to.

Leaping into action she dodged out onto the court, beams of pink light coming from the second-floor landing. Turning to spy her opponent she saw that it was a similar figure to the ones she had seen among the students. Only this one was blasting at her with beams of light from mirrors on her wrists. “And I thought Lady Wifi’s outfit had been tacky,” Chat said as she back flipped out of the way of another series of beams. “That right there is a fashion _cat_-astrophe.”

The akuma victim growled at her and fired down once more. That was what Chat had been waiting for, she launched herself up into the air and grasped the basketball hoop. Pulling it off from the backboard she landed next to the akuma victim and plonked it down over their head and around their waist, trapping their hands by their sides. “Slam dunk!” Chat cried with a smirk. “Two points to me Pinky.”

“The name is Reflekta!”

Chat grinned as she was already sailing back through the air and down to the first level. That should hold her for a moment. Just long enough for Chat to take care of that barricade and get the civilians out of harm’s way. She raised towards the lockers that were stacked at the door with a paw raised. “Cataclysm!” There was a flash of pink and Chat felt her powers fade. She spun in time to see Reflekta standing in the centre court. Okay maybe that had not held her nearly long enough.

“Looks like pink is the new black, you Mangy Cat,” Reflecta taunted with a smirk.

“I’ll show you black... Cataclysm!” Chat cried once more only to feel nothing happen. She glanced down at her hands and saw nails like the ones she had worn when she was a kid playing with Chloé. But worse than that was that her ring was gone. “My Miraculous!” She glanced up to see Reflekta’s face glowing with Hawk Moth’s mark. “Don’t you know it’s rude to play dress up without consent?”

“I don’t have time for your games,” Reflekta scoffed at Chat, dismissing her opponent as a threat after transforming her. “I have bigger fish to fry.” She glanced to the sky and let out a scream. “Where is Chloé Bourgeois!”

Well that figures, Chat thought to herself, only Chloé could piss someone off enough to think that this was a great fashion choice for a super villain. Chat grinned to herself as she leaped down the stairs near the entrance and ran towards Reflekta. Chat Noir might have cat like reflexes and acrobatic prowess, but it was Adrienne Agreste that could run in heels before she could ride a bike. These killer tall platforms were nothing. Not only could Chat run in them but she could definitely launch herself into a perfect jumping roundhouse kick.

Reflekta stumbled, almost falling over as Chat landed and grinned to herself. “If you want Chloé, you have to go through me first,” Chat said her nails held out like claws.

Reflekta reached up and wiped a thin trail of blood off the corner of her lip as she turned to Chat with a grin. “It would be my pleasure,” she said and came at Chat with a kick of her own.

Either whoever was under this akuma had been taking kickboxing lessons or Hawk Moth was giving out martial arts courses as powers because not only could they fight in platform heels they were more than capable of giving Chat a run for her money. She blocked the first kick, dodged a swipe with the nails, barely managed to retaliate with her own claw swipe before a kick to the sternum sent her stumbling back. Reflekta did not let up on the attack, she charged Chat, leaping into the air to try and bring down her heel on Chat’s head. Chat reacted in time to reach up and grab her foot before slamming her down onto the ground.

Chat tried to jump onto Reflekta, if she could turn this fight into a grapple, perhaps she could get the upper hand and wrestle the akumatised girl into submission. Refleckta struggled as Chat tried to pin her. She managed to get a solid kick in Chat’s gut that left the superheroine winded and a scratch across the face that cut into her skin. Slumping to the side, Chat felt Reflekta get to her feet. Chat tried to blink away the haze that covered her vision, along with the fresh blood but she could barely see Reflekta raise her heel above Chat’s head.

“Nighty night,” Reflekta taunted as she raised her heel and was about to curb stomp Chat.

“Naptime is cancelled.”

There was a bright coloured blur of movement from beside Reflekta and the sound o a solid impact before the akuma victim was knocked away from Chat. A hand reached down to help Chat up. “M-My Lady?” Chat gasped as she reached out and took the hand.

“Not quite,” the woman who helped Chat to her feet said. “Do I look like I could pull off wearing red with black spots?”

Chat managed to wipe away enough of the blood and her vision cleared to see a lady dressed as a fox next to her. Her hair was this beautiful three tone ombré of red-orange-white with fox ears poking out of them, she had a mask in similar fox fur patterns, part of her suit looked like an overcoat with a fox tail-like coattail ending a bit above her knees, she had black gloves connected to the suit with matching boots and the front of her orange suit was white like the under belly of a fox with a zipper running down from the neckline. The charm upon the zipper was a fox tail that Chat would put money on being a Miraculous. In her hands was a long metal flute that she wielded like a baseball bat. Presumably that had just been used to bludgeon Reflekta.

“Today’s been a weird day for changing outfits,” Chat said with a shrug. “One moment I’m in cool black leather now I’m in a completely different BDSM outfit… only this one’s already chafing.” She pulled at the uncomfortable latex around her thighs.

“Yeah I saw you get whammied,” the Fox Lady said with a wince. “Went from sexy Halloween outfit to clown horror in the blink of an eye.”

“You could have stepped in earlier if you were watching for that long,” Chat commented as she glanced around to see no sign of Reflekta.

“It honestly looked like you had it pretty well handled,” the Fox Lady said with a shrug. “And then you got your ass kicked. Speaking of which, where did she go?”

“No idea but keep your eyes open,” Chat said glancing around. “She’s a better fighter than a dresser by a long shot. So don’t underestimate her. She’s as good as any opponent I have faced before and I would hazard any you have faced too.”

“Considering she’s the first I would say you are spot on,” the Fox Lady said with a nervous chuckle. “I’m a little new to this. Still feeling it out.”

“Juleka!” A gasp came from the second floor.

“Speaking of being spot on, there’s My Lady,” Chat said with a grin that lit up her eyes, even from behind this new face. “Just follow my lead Foxy and you’re be _feline_ fine in no time.” Chat bounded off up the stairs in the direction of her Lady, who was engaging Reflekta on the second-floor landing.

“That is so not my name,” the Fox Lady said as she ran after Chat.

“But you are Foxy,” Chat said as she came to the top of the stairs and dashed to her Lady’s side. “Nice of you to join the party My Lady.”

“Chat Noir?” Ladybug said glancing over her shoulder. She was spinning her yo-yo to defend both herself and Chloé, of all people, from being hit by Reflekta’s beams. “Is that you?”

“I’m trying out a new autumn look,” Chat said with a grin as she stopped by her lady. “And I brought along a very Foxy Friend to play with us.” He gestured and the Fox Lady came running up to them.

“Have we met?” Ladybug asked with a raised eyebrow as she deflected another shot from Reflekta. Her yo-yo was barely managing to keep the akuma victim at bay.

“We have now,” Alya said with a grin behind the mask. She had practiced this conversation in the mirror hundreds of times since receiving the Fox Miraculous. First, she struck a heroic pose with her flute at the ready. “I’m Rena Rouge. Here to help. I have the Fox Miraculous that can…”

“Less introductions more helping please,” Ladybug interupted as Reflekta started to advance on them and they were all forced further and further back along the walkway.

“Just give me your Miraculous and Chloé Bourgeois!” Reflekta yelled as she continued to blast at them with those pink beams. Each time they made contact with the whirling yo-yo, Ladybug struggled to not let her defence faulter. “Hand them over and I won’t change you. I’ll even turn your little pet back.” She eyed the transformed Chat Noir.

“I am no one’s pet,” Chat growled as she prepared to bum rush Reflekta the moment Ladybug’s defence fell.

“Settle Kitty,” Ladybug said gritting her teeth. Chat calmed but remained at the ready. “We need a plan.”

“I have an idea,” Rena Rouge said with a grin as she rose the flute to her lips. “If you want Chloé Bourgeois. I’ll give you Chloé Bourgeois.”

“What!” Chloé exclaimed. “What kind of hero are you?” She stepped back from Rena and towards Chat. “Even suggesting handing me over to someone that clearly dresses in the dark of a morning. Let alone someone that wants to make me look like that thing!”

Chat stepped defensively in front of Chloé, between her and Rena as Ladybug frowned at the fox hero. As much as she disliked Chloé, they could not just hand her over. Even if Reflekta’s power was relatively harmless, at least physically. She watched intently as Rena took and deep breath in and blew her flute.

“Mirage!” Rena exclaimed and let go a ball of orange light that impacted upon the court and burst into a few dozen Chloé Bourgeois’. All of them simultaneously started pulling out their cell phones, stomping their feet and threatening Reflekta. “Here you go. Why settle for one Chloé Bourgeois when you can have all these?” Immediately her Miraculous started to beep but Rena ignored that.

Reflekta looked less than impressed with Rena’s creations. A burning rage came over her eyes as she turned from firing on Ladybug to blasting each and every Chloé Bourgeois she could see. The blasts made the mirages vanish the moment they impacted but it was enough of a distraction for Chat Noir to get her hands on the real Chloé. Ladybug gave her partner a nod and Chat dragged Chloé off into one of the classrooms to hide her away.

“The akuma must be in her mirror on her wrist,” Rena whispered to Ladybug as they watched Reflekta tear through mirage after mirage.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Ladybug said with a smile. “I’ll set her up, you knock her down.”

Rena gave Ladybug a nod and the yo-yo was whipped out towards Reflekta. At that moment her face was covered by the tell-tale mark of Hawk Moth. He was probably yelling at her to focus on Ladybug rather than these cheap clones of Chloé Bourgeois but Reflekta was ignoring him. She shot at one of the Chloé clones across the court below her and it was at that moment that Ladybug’s yo-yo wrapped around her wrist. She turned and tried to fire at Rena, who was charging towards her, but Ladybug jerked the cord on her yo-yo and Reflekta’s aim went wide.

Reflekta tugged back on the string and knocked Ladybug off balance before trying to fire another shot at Rena. This time Rena was ready for it and she leapt from the floor onto the hand railing and kept running along it. She was so close. She swung her flute around towards Reflekta, only for the villain to reach out with her other hand and punch Rena in the sternum. Rena’s swing went wide and she lost her balance, tumbling down off of the railing and landing hard on her back against the ground.

Above, Reflekta grinned as she aimed at Ladybug, who was still regaining her footing. “Time for an outfit change my dear,” Reflekta said a shot charged and ready to fire.

_No! _Hawk Moth screeched in her head. _Take her Miraculous first. _

But it was too late, the shot was charged and about to be fired at Ladybug. The door to a classroom near Reflekta shot open and out charged Chat Noir. She threw herself at Relflekta, tackling into her and sending both of them tumbling off the edge as the shot went wide. Rena’s eyes widened as she saw the double Reflektas falling towards her only to stop short as Ladybug yanked back on her yo-yo that was still tangled around Reflekta’s hand.

Rena Rouge rolled out of the way and got to her feet as her Miraculous gave another beep. She glanced up to see Ladybug perched on the railing, planting her feet behind the rails. She was holding up not only Reflekta but Chat Noir as well who was grasping onto Reflkta’s legs and trying to scurry up her body. Damn Ladybug is strong, Rena thought with a low whistle. “The akuma is in her mirror Chat,” Ladybug called. “Try and break it.”

“You do know that’s seven years bad luck, right Milady?” Chat said as she tried her hardest to scale Reflkta, only to get kicked in the face repeatedly. “Feel free to help anytime Rena.”

“Keep your panties on Chat,” Rena said as she tried to figure out the best approach to this. The height was just out of reach of Rena’s flute. Maybe if she jumped…

“I don’t think keeping my panties on is the issue with this outfit,” Chat called out with a whimper of pain as she was kicked again. “Hurry up and get it.”

“Chat you heard the lady,” Ladybug said with a groan of pain as she struggled to hold up the two of them. “Just _hang_ in there will you Kitty?” Chat seemed caught off guard by the pun and was left speechless. “She’ll get it.”

Damn right I will, Rena thought, all I need is the correct angle. She backed up a few steps and then took off running towards the pair who where hanging there. Raising her flute she brought it around in a wide arc towards the mirror. Reflekta swung her body around at the last moment and Rena missed her by less than an inch before she went face first into the wall of the building. From above Ladybug gasped in surprise as the weight she was holding up moved and Reflekta reached up with her other hand to grasp the yo-yo string. She tugged on it and brought Ladybug tumbling over the railing. She landed hard on Chat and leaped forward towards centre court just before Ladybug slammed into her prone superhero partner.

Reflekta flicked her hand and untangled it from the yo-yo cord as she came to her feet and turned around. She could see Rena was still recovering from faceplanting into the wall but she was up on her feet, even if her balance seemed slightly off. Ladybug was a prime target right now, prone on top of Chat Noir. Reflekta raised her wrist and fired at Ladybug. “Look out,” Rena cried out and tried to run forward only to stumble.

Chat was quick to react, even after being crushed into the ground by two women in a row. She rolled herself and Ladybug over, the blast of pink light sizzling into the concrete inches away from them. “I think it’s my turn to be on top My Lady,” Chat said with a smirk and a wink.

“I preferred when you were underfoot,” Ladybug murmured as Reflekta fired again at her only for Chat to take the hit.

“We can arrange that if it’s what you are into My Lady,” Chat said back, her green eyes sparkling. Ladybug groaned. The blasts that peppered Chat’s back did nothing against her already transformed self. “I think you need a new strategy there Reflekta!”

“Or a new target,” Reflekta growled as she raised her wrist and fired at Rena.

Rena stepped forward and swung her flute through the air, making contact with the blast and deflecting it away. “Have to try harder than that to take me out,” Rena said with a smirk. Her Miraculous beeped once more and she glanced down to see that two of the five segments were dulled out while the third one down was flashing. She wondered what was going to happen when those all went out. She did not have time to think about it as she was forced to reflect more shots from Reflekta. She felt like she was in the batting cage at her old school.

“I think we need to come up with a plan,” Chat said looking down at Ladybug. “Rena’s almost out of time and we’ve missed Reflekta twice now.”

“You and Rena keep her busy a moment,” Ladybug said as she shimmied out from underneath Chat and onto her feet. Spinning her yo-yo she joined Rena in deflecting the blasts. “I’ll think of something.”

“Got it,” Chat said jumping to her feet and glancing at Rena. “You heard the Lady, let’s buy her some time.”

“By your lead Chat,” Rena said with a smile.

The two of them charged at Reflekta who was standing in the middle of the basketball court as Ladybug fell back. Now was the time for some quick thinking and a little luck. She threw her yo-yo into the air. “Lucky Charm!” There was a flash of pink light and a hand mirror fell into Ladybug’s hand. “Okay… this is something.” She turned it over and looked into the mirror at her own face. There was no secret switch or hidden use for this item. It appeared to be a regular old hand mirror. But Ladybug knew she would come up with something, she just needed a moment to think. She glanced up at the fight.

Rena launched herself forward swinging at Reflekta with her flute. At the same timeChat Noir came around at the akuma victim from a different angle. Reflekta smirked as she ducked under the flute swing, kicked Chat off to the side and fired at Rena. Chat just managed to get up in time to take the blast for Rena before the pair turned around to face off against Reflekta again. Rena glanced over and saw Ladybug with a black dotted red hand mirror. “How’s she going to use that to help us?” Rena asked Chat as Reflekta fired once more at them.

“You’ll see,” Chat said leaping to take the shot once more as they charged forward at Reflekta. “My Lady always comes through in the end. She just needs a moment to be brilliant.” Chat pounced towards Reflekta only for the woman to duck under Chat and send a blast Rena’s way.

Rena swung with the flute and deflected the shot towards a classroom window. She was not expecting it to bounce off the window and go flying towards one of the on lookers. It hit one of the Reflekta copies that was standing next to Nino, who himself had his phone out and was recording this. Good boy, Rena thought, I might have to beg for that footage later on. The Reflekta copy that got hit suddenly shifted and with a flash became Alix, who looked down upon herself in surprise. Rena had little time to think about this as once more she was forced to dodge or deflect shots from the akumatised victim.

Ladybug watched carefully as Chat and Rena fought together. They worked well for people that were not used to fighting alongside each other. Chat was surprisingly graceful in heels and the nails worked perfectly as substitute claws. What Rena lacked in fighting skill she made up for in sheer determination and good foot work. Ladybug knew that she and Chat both had some form of martial training, she doubted Rena did with the way she kept swinging that flute around like a baseball bat but her superpowers seemed to make the difference. It was when Ladybug saw the shot reflected from the window and into Alix that things suddenly clicked together. Reflections.

Her eyes widened as she looked around and saw exactly what they needed to do. Reflekta’s mirror. Rena’s flute. The mirror in her own hands. Chat. The ground of the basketball court. It all came together, and a smirk formed upon Ladybug’s face. “I know what to do,” she called out and her teammates glanced at her. “Spread out and incircle her.”

“On it,” Chat said as she backed away from Reflekta and moved anticlockwise around her away from Ladybug. She glanced up into the concerned eyes of Rena Rouge. “Trust her Rena… she’s got this.”

“I do,” Rena said with a firm nod. She circled around the other way, moving clockwise from Ladybug. Her Miraculous beeped once more.

“Just do exactly what I say Rena and we’ll win this,” Ladybug said as she stepped forward towards Reflekta with the mirror at the ready and her yo-yo spinning in the other hand. Her eyes traced the path of Rena Rouge and Chat Noir. They were almost in position. “If you want me Reflekta, then here’s your shot.” She threw her arms open. “If you can even hit me.”

“Ladybug,” Reflekta growled as she raised her wrist, a shot charged and ready to fire. “Just how dumb do you think I am?” Ladybug grinned as she saw her two partners were in the correct positions. She signalled for Chat to stop with a hand gesture that Reflekta missed and Chat made a more obvious gesture behind the akuma victim’s back to halt Rena. “I know your tricks!” She turned and fired at Rena.

“Batter up!” Ladybug called out as she raised the mirror like a baseball mitt. “Put it right here Rena!” Rena swung her flute and hit the blast directly towards Ladybug’s mirror, which reflected the beam just as she had planned towards Chat Noir. The beam hit chat and connected the perfect V shape that Ladybug had manoeuvred them into. In a flash of light Chat was back to her normal self, blonde messy hair and leather suit with a smirk on her face. “Hit the floor Chat! Rena jump!”

Ladybug cast up her yo-yo and pulled herself high into the air as Rena leapt. “Cataclysm!” Chat cried and slammed into the ground. Ladybug had been aiming to catch Rena and pull them both up but from the way Rena jumped that was not needed. She more than cleared the Cataclysm and almost flew out of the school completely, landing on the roof with a slight stumble. That fox sure could pounce. Down on the ground. Reflekta tried and failed to escape the Cataclysm as it tore up the court. She stumbled and fell, her heels catching in the broken and cracked concrete.

Chat was on her within seconds, wrestling her to on ground and tearing that mirrored gem off her hand. “My Lady,” Chat called out and threw the gem into the air.

“For me Chat?” Ladybug said as she caught the gem and landed on the second-floor landing of the school. “I didn’t know it was our anniversary.”

“Only then best gemstones for you,” Chat said with a grin.

“I don’t know about that,” Ladybug said tossing the gem into he air and catching it again. “Looks more like a baseball to me. Let’s see what the new girl thinks about it. Go long Rena!” She chucked the gem up towards the roof where Rena was standing.

Rena swung and smashed the gem right as her Miraculous beeped and went to the last flashing segment. “Good pitch,” Rena said as the purple-black butterfly flew out of the broken stone.

“You’ve got a really nice swing,” Ladybug said, and she swung up onto the roof beside Rena. “Time to de-evilize.” She stepped aside and cast out her yo-yo towards the escaping butterfly. It captured the black creature before opening up once more to release a white butterfly into the air. “Bye-bye, little butterfly.”

“Wow,” Rena said as the adrenaline wore off and she found herself breathing heavy. She could not believe that plan had come together so well back there. Ladybug had not only worked all that out but managed to get her and Chat to execute it with precision timing and perfect coordination. “She’s amazing.”

“Yeah…” Chat said as she popped up onto the roof besides Rena. “… she is.” They both stared at Ladybug blissfully before catching each other’s eyes. “Um… I saw her first?”

“Ha,” Rena scoffed shaking her head. “You’ll have to try harder than that Chat to call me off.”

“Be careful, I can get quite _catty_ when I need to,” Chat joked miming a swipe with her claws through the air.

“And I can be rather _foxy_ myself so watch out or she might be My Lady soon enough,” Rena said with a growl not unlike that of a fox.

“I like this one,” Chat said with a smirk as she turned towards Ladybug. “Can we keep her?”

“I don’t know which of you is worse,” Ladybug exclaimed with a deep frown on her face. “But yes Chaton, she did rather well. I think she deserves a place on this… team? Are we a team now?”

“I believe so,” Chat said with a grin as he held out a fist to Ladybug and another to Rena. Ladybug did the same.

“Pound it!” the three of them exclaimed as they bumped fists. The final beep went off on Rena’s Miraculous.

“Oh no,” Ladybug gasped her eyes wide. “We forgot about…”

“You’re out of time,” Chat exclaimed looking at Rena’s necklace. “Look away…”

Both of them tried to glance away in time as the transformation fell but they still caught sight of a familiar pink figure. “Reflekta?” Ladybug asked as she looked at the woman out of the corner of her eye.

“She got me right before I transformed,” Rena said glancing down at her pink dress. She reached up and took off her camouflaged Miraculous before hiding it in her hand. It would not do for anyone to see the necklace in its disguised mode. “I guess it held up even after the transformation. At least now I know what happens after five minutes.”

“That’s a relief,” Chat said with a sigh as she glanced back to Rena. “You know that’s not a bad look for you.”

“You handled the heels a lot better,” Rena said already feeling wobbly as she leaned on Ladybug to steady herself. She caught sight of Trixx who slumped over her shoulder and groaned. “What’s wrong with Trixx?”

“He’ll just need some food,” Ladybug explained with a shrug of her shoulders. “They need to recharge after extended use of your transformation or five minutes after you use your power. It’s good to keep them charged up all the time though. They tend to have a favourite food that helps them charge up faster.”

“Meat,” Trixx grumbled into Rena’s shoulder. “Raw meat.”

“Oh great,” Rena said with a sigh. “Now I’m going to have to carry around raw meat on myself. I am going to smell like a butchers.”

“It could be worse,” Chat said with a grimace. “Trust me when I say it could be worse.”

Both Chat’s and Ladybug’s Miraculouses let out a beep. “As fun as this is, we need to run and I need to fix everything,” Ladybug said glancing at the mirror in her hand. “We’ll talk more later. Chat can you get her back down onto the ground?” Chat gave a nod. “Rena you have a couple minutes to get out of sight from us and anyone else before I have to fix all this an you’ll be back to normal.”

“Got it,” Rena said with a thumbs up.

“Your chariot awaits my Foxy Lady,” Chat said holding out her arms as she reached for her baton.

“Why thank you Gimp Noir,” Rena said poking at Chat’s leather chest before wrapping her arms around Chat as they stepped to the edge of the roof. “Going down.”

Chat extended her baton and slowly lowered them both to the ground. Ladybug watched as they split apart and ran off across the basketball court. Another Miraculous Chosen had been a surprise for sure but a welcome one. Rena Rouge had a lot to learn, the hand signals Ladybug had been practicing with Chat for one not to mention some form of martial fighting style, but than again Chat and her were only new at this too. They could use someone like Rena with them and who knows? Perhaps someone else as a target for Chat’s flirting would be good. Or her own attempts for that matter. She grinned as she threw the hand mirror into the air.

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

The swarm of ladybugs spread out across the school. They fixed the extensive damage to the basketball court, returned the lockers at the front door to their rightful place and turned everyone back to normal. Ladybug looked down at the fixed school and her eyes centred on Juleka who was down on her knees at the middle of the court. She looked confused but still sad. Ladybug was just about to jump down and talk to her when Alya came running out from the locker room.

She rushed to Juleka’s side and helped her to her feet. They talked as she led Juleka away. Ladybug overheard Alya mention something about the forums on the Ladyblog. She smiled to herself. Alya was such a good girl. She was so proud of her best friend and had to admit she admired Alya’s attempt to help akuma victims. There was a beep from her earrings, and she knew her time was just about up. She spared one last glance down at the students as they emerged from hiding, her eyes lingering over Adrienne as her heart leapt into her throat, before she swung away to go transform. Her job here was done. Team Miraculous, as they would soon become known, had won.

*

Hawk Moth was boiling with anger. The Fox Miraculous had shown up at the worst possible time. He had been this close to getting what he most desired. Chat Noir had been rendered near powerless and Ladybug would have soon followed. Yet, out of nowhere had come someone wielding the Fox Miraculous. Not only had they put a stop to Hawk Moth’s akuma today, but they had teamed up with the other two Miraculous holders. This was bad.

He had always thought of the possibility of other Miraculous appearing when he made his play. The sheer luck of the two he most desired showing up first had been a win fall for Hawk Moth. But for another to appear now, of all times, and team up with the other two. It was infuriating and frankly a bad sign of things to come. He was failing to take on two Miraculous holders, a third would not make it any better for him. Even if the Miraculous she wielded was less powerful than the other two.

Hawk Moth knew what he needed to do. He needed to up his game and the best way to do that was to further explore the secrets of the Miraculous he held. He considered bringing the Peacock Miraculous into arsenal, but its damaged state made it too much of a risk for him to use. Especially alongside the Butterfly Miraculous. After all that is what had caused _her_ to suffer. No. The true path to overcoming this newest obstacle was already in hand. The Butterfly Miraculous held the power he needed. He just needed to access it.

Stepping back from the observatory window he turned on the spot and jammed his cane into a point on the floor. He pressed a button on the cane and watched as a podium rose up out of the ground before him. Upon it was a book that held secrets of the Miraculouses that were even greater than that of the grimoire. The difference though was that this book was not written in code. Yet, despite this, it would be even harder for Hawk Moth to read then if it had simply been encoded. He turned the first page and drew in a sharp breath at the title. He steeled himself and began to read.

_The Diary of Emilie Agreste…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will notice that the fight changed significantly with the addition of Rena into the roster. I plan for things to go a lot more off the rails in this regard, this simple rewrite will not remain one forever. Things will change and we will fall off those rails in no time. Least of all will be Ladybug’s Lucky Charm which you will notice gave out a completely different item. I scrapped the tv studio fight as why break up a good fight when I don’t need to fill a 20 minute time slot?
> 
> As such the camera trick would not work due to there being no lights to turn out and it seemed like a stretch to lure her inside to pull off that same trick. I preferred reflecting a reflection to reverse the effect. As poetic as the camera was in the actual episode, the idea of besting a mirror with a mirror is quite appealing. Next chapter should be giving Rena a proper superhero welcoming onto the team and them doing some training/patrolling.
> 
> As always, feedback and comments are appreciated.


	4. The Smell of Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Miraculous forms and go on their first patrol together. Amazed by her determination and skills, Ladybug and Chat Noir give Rena Rouge a chance to prove herself, leading the last patrol of the night. But when they are all caught off guard and shit hits the fan, how will Rena react? Will she be able to overcome her fear?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say about this chapter other than that it takes place the evening of the same day as the last chapter. I expect to do more of these chapters exploring the story between the akuma attacks.

**Chapter 04:** The Smell of Fear

The night air of Paris was quiet. The akuma attack today signalled that Hawk Moth had had his fun and tonight would be undisturbed by him. He had never sent out two akuma in the same day. At least not over the month he had been at work. Despite this, Paris’ duo of superheroes were out and about. Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived upon the rooftop within moments of one another. It was one of their three main meeting spots before a patrol and although there was no official patrol scheduled for today the events of the akuma attack earlier had drawn them together. They needed to talk.

“Good evening My Lady,” Chat said giving an exaggerated bow. Her blonde hair flopped over her head before she whipped it back as she stood up. “Is our new friend joining us this evening?”

“Hello to you too Chat,” Ladybug said with a roll of her eyes. “Eventually she will. I gave us a twenty-minute lead on the meeting time so we could talk first.”

“Is that really the best way to build trust with a new teammate?” Chat asked with a raised eyebrow as she straightened up.

“I suppose not but I wanted to make sure we were clear on a few things first,” Ladybug said folding her arms in front of her. “Especially in regard to conduct between us all.”

“How come I feel like I am the one being singled out here?”

“Because it’s your conduct I am worried about.”

“What? The flirting?” Chat asked and got a nod in return. “Well she didn’t seem to mind, and I know your stance on it. Hell don’t think I haven’t picked up on you trying your own hand at sweet talking me and the occasional pun.” Chat’s green eyes twinkled as Ladybug glanced away. “So what’s the problem?”

“I want you to get her consent first,” Ladybug said as she looked off into the night. “I don’t know if you know this Chat but the way you act can be off putting and make people feel uncomfortable. If you intend to act like that towards her, get her consent first.”

“My Lady?” Chat asked as she tried to circle around Ladybug and get into her field of vision. Ladybug pointedly avoided letting Chat get in front of her by turning her head every time Chat moved. “Is something the matter? Are you uncomfortable when I flirt with you? I thought we discussed this.”

“It’s not that Chat,” Ladybug huffed. “You know I don’t mind… and strictly behind closed doors I actually enjoy your flirtatious attitude.”

“Then what is the matter with…” Chat said only to pause as she finally got a look at her Lady’s face. “Are you jealous?” Ladybug jerked away from Chat, almost tripping off the edge of the rooftop only to be grasped by her shoulder. She glanced over to see Chat holding her steady. That grip was on the same place Adrienne had steadied her today when she almost faceplanted. Her heart beat a little faster. “You have nothing to be jealous about around Rena.”

“You called her your Foxy Lady,” Ladybug snapped and bit her tongue to hold back further responses.

“I did,” Chat said as she pulled Ladybug back from the edge of the roof. Ladybug did not resist as Chat wrapped her arms around the fellow superhero. “But you’re my Lady. The first, and if you want the only. Just say the words and you can be my one and only.”

Ladybug turned to look up at Chat as she was held there in those strong arms. The early autumn wind rushed over them as they stood there for a moment, but Ladybug felt warmer than ever as she gazed up into those green eyes. “No Chat,” Ladybug said with a sigh. “That would not be fair to you. I can’t ask for exclusivity and not give the same in return. There’s someone else I like…” Her eyes struggled to leave Chat’s face as she gazed off into the city skyline.

“Oh? And who is this mysterious Prince Charming?” Chat asked, trying to keep a playful demeanour while squashing down her own feelings.

“Princess actually,” Ladybug said her eyes lighting up and making Chat’s heart sink. “She’s amazing… everything she does makes me love her more and more. She only ever has kind words to say and treats everyone with such respect and affection. She is gentle and considerate.”

“Is she hot?” Chat teased even as she swallowed her own feelings. She grinned as Ladybug’s cheeks went as red as her costume. “I’ll take that as a yes. Let me guess…” Chat stroked her chin as she eyed Ladybug. “She’s tall.” Chat stood up straighter. “Blonde.” She ran her fingers through her own tangled golden locks. “Strong.” She flexed her arms. “Graceful as a ballerina.” She stood up onto her the tips of her toes. “With smouldering green eyes.” She gazed down upon Ladybug with a spark behind her mask. “And secretly deep down… I bet she’s a total dork.” Chat reached forward and booped Ladybug on the nose. “I know your type.”

Ladybug rolled her eyes. “You’re the only dork I know matching that description Kitty,” Ladybug sighed reaching up to tussle Chat’s hair.

“Does she like you back?” Chat asked suddenly. Her own heart felt heavy as she watched Ladybug smile.

“I don’t know,” Ladybug sighed dreamily. “I’m always too nervous around them to ask them or admit my own feelings. Right now, I am just admiring them from a distance but someday I hope to be able to ask them to be my one and only. So as fun as this flirting between us might be, and whatever this is…” She wrapped her arms around Chat and squeezed. “I can’t give you what you want, which I know is more than just this, so I should not ask you to restrain yourself on my behalf. Maybe someday things will change but right now my heart is elsewhere.”

“I’ll wait.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“My Lady?”

“Chaton,” Ladybug said her gaze coming back to the eyes behind the mask. “Listen to me.” She waited for Chat’s attention to be focused solely on her. “Don’t wait around on me. It may never happen. Any man or woman would be happy to have you in their life. You should not deny yourself love just for the chance at something that might not happen. I believe in fairy-tale endings. I think everyone deserves their own, but this is one that may never happen. I already have my own princess and my own fairy-tale ending that I plan to pursue. You should find one of your own Chat.”

“The sentiment is appreciated My Lady,” Chat said with a chuckle as she saw the concern upon Ladybug’s face. “I will keep my heart open to others but know this.” She leaned close to Ladybug; their faces so close they could feel each other’s breath. “A small part of it will always belong to you and should the day come when you feel like giving this a serious chance, and I am still waiting here for you…”

“I’ll keep it in mind Kitty,” Ladybug said with a grin as she flicked the bell. She broke out of the embrace but kept an arm around Chat. “And just so we’re clear. You are more than welcome to continue flirting with me and anyone else you desire.”

“Fair enough,” Chat said with a nod. “The same applies to you My Lady. I know I’m not the only one who’s eyes wondered over our new Foxy Friend.” Ladybug blushed as Chat smirked at her. “She is rather gifted under that suit.”

“There’s a furry joke here but I dare not delve into that,” Ladybug said dryly with a roll of her eyes. “But yes, she does fill it nicely.” There was a ding from her yo-yo and she brought it out. Opening the device, she saw a notification of an upload to the Ladyblog. “Looks like the footage of today’s akuma attack finally went up. Huh, looks like there’s also an in-depth analysis of the fight written up. That could be useful for future tactics.”

“Want to watch the video and read the article together?” Chat offered as she pushed herself up behind Ladybug and glanced over her shoulder.

“Sure,” Ladybug said leaning back into Chat. She reached back and pulled Chat’s arms around her before pressing play on the video.

“This is rather cosy,” Chat commented as she pulled Ladybug in close.

“Mmm?” Ladybug hummed as she enjoyed the feeling of Chat’s body against her back. Once more she had those strong arms embracing her but this time, she also got to enjoy the pleasure of Chat’s breasts being pushed into her back and those soft thighs against Ladybug’s butt. “You comfortable?

“Having a _purr_-ety lady in my arms is always comfortable,” Chat said with a grin. Ladybug groaned and turned up the volume of the video.

*

Rena Rouge leapt from building to building with grace and speed that Alya had never dreamed of having. There was a reason that she did not need a physics breaking yo-yo or impossibly compact baton-staff. The Fox Miraculous gave her the speed, power and agility needed to just leap around the city. She was not sure how she stacked up against the other Miraculouses, but she was pretty sure they all had their own strengths. The Fox was definitely that of agility and movement. She could bound over multiple stories in a single leap, scamper up the highest monuments within the blink of an eye and land from heights that would probably kill even the luckiest of normal human beings.

She almost felt like she was flying as she leapt from a tall building, down to long municipal building, ran along that and jumped up to a crane, which she swung off of and down into a roll across the top of an apartment block. Rena sprinted across this rooftop and leapt across a main highway, for seconds she felt nothing but the rush of air around her through the dark night before she latched onto a fire escape and scrambled up the side of the next building. Reaching the top she breathed deeply and pulled her flute off of her back. She turned the mouthpiece upon her flute and revealed a small screen. She was sure the building top Ladybug had asked to meet on was around here somewhere. She glanced down at the GPS on the screen.

Rena furrowed her brow as she realised she was a few blocks off. Navigating a city by rooftop was not as easy as they made it seem in comics. She memorised the way she needed to go before putting the flute away and taking off. At least this was giving her some time to adjust to her new superhuman movement. Rena ran across the rooftops at a leisurely pace, adding in some flips and rolls for kicks before coming to a stop upon a ledge, which was overlooking a shorter building rooftop below her. She could see two distinctive figures, cuddled together on the edge of the rooftop, overlooking the traffic.

Rena grinned as she decided to try and creep up on the duo. She backed up a few steps before taking a running leap. She easily cleared the gap between the rooftops before falling silently behind the pair. Rena had landed on all fours and shifted straight into a stalking crawl. She felt like a wild animal hunting prey. Creeping up on the Ladybug and Black Cat as she shimmied along the ground coming ever closer to them. Chat’s cat ears twitched and suddenly the blonde turned to Rena with her staff held out, ready to jump in front of her Lady. She lowered the staff as she caught Rena’s eyes.

“Good evening my Foxy Lady,” Chat said as she broke her embrace with Ladybug and got up to her feet. She offered a hand down to her Lady. “You are surprisingly sneaky.”

“You know what they say about being quiet as a fox,” Rena said with a smirk.

“Unfortunately, it takes a lot to sneak up on Chat,” Ladybug said as she accepted Chat’s hand up and turned to face Rena. “Trust me I have tried.”

“But your beauty always gives you away My Lady,” Chat said squeezing Ladybug’s hand. “I would see that coming from a mile away.”

“The stop sign red of my costume probably doesn’t help much either,” Ladybug said with a shrug as she fought back the blush on her face.

“I don’t know,” Rena mused as she stepped forward to join them on the building edge. “I think Chat’s theory of your incredible beauty shining like a beacon might hold water. I know it draws me in.”

The fight to contain her blush was lost for Ladybug as her face went bright red. “Both of you are dirty animals,” Ladybug huffed as she pulled her hand out of Chat’s grasp and folded her arms in front of herself.

“See how cute she is when she pouts?” Chat said to Rena as she glanced between the two of them.

“Gods, I just want to eat her up,” Rena said licking her lips.

“Do foxes eat ladybugs?” Chat wondered aloud.

“Let’s find out,” Rena said as she leaned in close to Ladybug. “I wouldn’t mind a bite or two.” She bared her teeth at Ladybug with a cocky smirk before turning Chat’s way. “Then again, I do already love the taste of pussy… cats. So maybe you’re on the menu tonight.”

It was Chat’s turn to look flustered and pouty. Ladybug burst out laughing, almost doubling over as she struggled to breathe. “Oh… my… I can’t,” Ladybug gasped out as she leaned on a stoic looking, red faced Chat to avoid falling over. “I… her… you…” She pointed between the three of them before looking over at Rena with a found smile. “You are just the person I need to give Chat a taste of her own medicine. You are a true Vixen!”

“Thank-you,” Rena said with a smile.

“I don’t know if that was a compliment,” Chat coughed as she tried to clear herself of the sudden light headedness she felt.

“I think it was,” Rena said as she turned to eye Ladybug.

“I’ll never tell,” Ladybug said with a wink.

“Yeah that was so a compliment,” Rena said with a triumphant grin. “One point to Fox, no points to Cat.” She stuck her tongue out at Chat.

“If we’re counting points now, I think I have more than a litter’s worth or two already with My Lady,” Chat said as she wrapped an arm around Ladybug’s shoulders.

“Good,” Rena said as she slipped an arm around Ladybug’s waist on the opposite side to Chat. “You’ll need the head start if you want to keep up with me.”

“You two are obnoxious,” Ladybug said rolling her eyes as she wrapped her own arms around either superhero. There was something strange about Rena. Even though they had only just met today Ladybug swore she was familiar. The very thought of it was ridiculous, as only Chat had ever acted around her like this. Yet, something about Rena made Ladybug feel immediately comfortable with the affection she was being shown. It was like she had known Rena as long as she had known Chat. Maybe it was just the flirting but Ladybug felt she could get used to being fought over like this. Even if they were having just as much fun with each other as they were having at her expense.

“You love it,” Rena said bumping her hips against Ladybug.

“You love us,” Chat said repeating the hip bump on the other side.

“I thought she said we were dirty animals?” Rena said.

“You are,” Ladybug laughed as she reached back and ruffled both heads of hair. “Filthy, messy, fighting animals. Both of you are mangy strays.” She beamed at them. “But I love my strays.” She pushed Chat’s head down so she could lean over and kiss her on the cheek. “My Kitty.” She dinged the bell upon the collar before she turned to Rena. “My Vixen?”

“Sure, and I’ll take my kiss now too,” she leaned forward to Ladybug who laughed as she gave the superhero a peck on the cheek. Rena’s eyes gazed over to Chat with a questioning look. “I hope I am not steeling the spotlight from your Kitty.”

“I am good at sharing my things,” Chat said as she matched Rena’s gaze. Those green eyes bore into the brown orbs of Rena’s. “Including _Our_ Lady.”

“Just how good a sharer are you Chat?” Rena asked her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Because I could think of one or two things that are really fun to share…” Her gaze turned to Ladybug as she once more licked her lips.

“And you’ve broken her,” Chat said with a laugh as Ladybug’s cheeks turned as red as her suit. “How can we possibly share her when she’s _cat_-atonic?”

“Animals…” Ladybug murmured under her breath as she pushed them both away from her. “Filthy, dirty animals. The pair of you!” She shook her head as she eyed their amused faces. “Are you two done now? Worked it all out of your systems? Or do I need to knock you about a little?” She cracked her knuckles together giving both of them a challenging look.

Chat eyed Rena and gave her a look of warning. “We’ll be good,” Chat said, and Rena nodded along. “Shall we get to what we planned to do with Rena tonight My Lady?”

“Good Kitty,” Ladybug said as she smiled. These two were going to be a handful but she knew just how to deal with them. “Okay Rena.” She turned to the woman in question, who was respectfully holding back any flirtatious replies. “Chat and I assumed you wanted to join us after today but just so we are clear… are you interested in forming a team?”

“You bet your spots I am,” Rena said. She seemed to vibrate with excitement. “One way or another I know I am going to use this to help people.” She reached up and cupped the Fox Miraculous. “Joining Paris’ already established heroes and helping them defeat Hawk Moth seems like the best way to do that.”

“One of the other perks of the job is you get to enjoy a fantastic view,” Chat said her eyes lingering over Ladybug just long enough for the girl to frown before Chat turned to gesture at the cityscape. “Paris is beautiful when leaping from building to building.”

“That she is Chat, that she is,” Rena agreed her own eyes on Ladybug just long enough to make a point before she turned towards the city. “But fighting Hawk Moth is not all you two do. You stop other crimes in the city.”

“We do,” Ladybug said, fighting back the urge to scold her partners again. “We keep the city safe from anyone that would do harm. We don’t stop all crime but we do what we can and even though we have only been at if for a few weeks I do believe we are making a difference.”

“Crime rates have been down,” Rena said with a shrug. “I read that insiders within the police force have been crediting that to you two.”

“You read the Ladyblog?” Chat said with a glance Rena’s way. “Because that article only went up yesterday.”

“I’ve been reading about you two since you started,” Rena said. “The Ladyblog is one place I get my news from.” Internally Rena tried hard not to give anything away as Ladybug and Chat shared a look. She had known she was going to need an excuse as to why she knew the Ladyblog’s ins and outs better than most people and being an avid reader seemed like the best idea.

“That’s good,” Ladybug said breaking into a smile. “I am a fan of that site myself.”

“The girl who runs it is amazing,” Chat said with a nod. Ladybug and Rena both gave her a startled look. “She was the one that supported us from day one. Remember at the stadium with Stoneheart My Lady?”

“She gave me the confidence I needed to do this,” Ladybug said with a nod. “Without her I don’t think I would be here today…”

“Then she has my thanks as well,” Chat said bowing her head.

By this point Rena was fighting hard not to scream. They were talking about her. The superheroes who had taken Paris by storm were talking about her. Not Rena Rouge but her as in Alya Césaire. _Ladybug_ was talking about her. She wanted to shout. Not only were they merely mentioning her in passing too but they were thanking her and talking about how she had been the one to give confidence to Ladybug. To _Ladybug_. The one person that exuberated confidence like she was simply breathing out air. It made Rena’s heart pound.

“… Rena?”

Blinking, Rena glanced over at Ladybug with a look of confusion. She had completely tuned out of the conversation. “I’m sorry?”

“I said that Chat and I have a lot to show and teach you but for tonight we want to give you a handle on how our patrols normally go,” Ladybug repeated. She smiled at Rena kindly. “I understand that this is a lot to take in but please try to pay attention.” Rena nodded, her cheeks darkening. “Did you hear what Chat said about patrols?” Rena shook her head.

“Patrols are optional,” Chat said, her tone just as kind as Ladybug’s but with a hint of amusement. “My Lady and I do them out of our own free time and as a way to give back to Paris for supporting our fight against Hawk Moth. We also use them for training purposes and to hopefully stem the rate of akumas. We figure a lower crime rate would keep the citizens happy and less likely to fall to Hawk Moth.” Chat shrugged as she brushed back her wild mane of blonde hair. “It helps that we both enjoy being heroes so much too.”

Ladybug gave Chat one of her bright smiles that lit up the world around her. “What we are trying to stress is that we don’t expect you to join us on patrols but if you want… you are welcome to,” Ladybug said. Rena opened her mouth to speak but Ladybug raised a hand. “Please don’t make a decision yet. We want you to know exactly what you are getting yourself into.”

“We’re still new to this so we don’t know everything but a few weeks of patrolling the city has given us a little experience,” Chat explained. “How do we want to do this Ladybug? Talk more with her or show her the ropes?”

“She’ll shadow us,” Ladybug said eyeing Rena. “Follow and watch us as we do a patrol. Seems like a quiet night.” She glanced off into the streets of Paris. “Watch us only, don’t jump in, no heroics. Understood Rena?” Ladybug glanced over her shoulder at Rena.

“I do,” Rena said. The look in those bluebell eyes sent a shiver down her spine and she knew right then and there she would follow this woman to the end of the world. “Let’s do this.”

Ladybug nodded and turned to Chat. “After you My Lady,” Chat gestured at the edge of the building. In a blur of red Ladybug catapulted herself off the edge and threw out her yo-yo, swinging off into the night. As she readied her staff, Chat glanced back as Rena. “Try to keep up.” She winked and leapt after Ladybug.

“Oh you are going to eat those words Chat Noir,” Rena growled and took a running leap. As she sailed through the air after the superhero pair, she felt her heart beat once more. This feeling was what she lived for now. It was exhilarating. It made her body tingle from the tips of her toes up to the ends of her hair upon her head. Alya had always been an adrenaline junkie, she had known that long before she started chasing superheroes but Rena was a whole new story. She not only wanted to chase the heroes to watch them. She wanted to run with them, ahead of them, beside them. She wanted to race the pack and she wanted to win. She grinned as she gained on the other two. She had some words to feed a certain cat.

*

Ladybug threw out her yo-yo, sailing across the Paris skyline like a bat in the night. Beside her was Chat, the blonde haired superheroine making pole vaulting look easy with her extendable staff as she kept pace with Ladybug. Trailing just behind them, leaping from building top to building top was their newest teammate, Rena Rouge. Ladybug could tell that the fox heroine was dying to take the lead. She had been sticking to Chat and Ladybug’s asses all night as the two of them swapped between Chat and her leading the patrol. It was like a game of follow the leader as they traversed the city between crimes breaking out.

Chat would lead for a while till they spotted a crime. Then regroup with Ladybug before they struck together and dealt with the situation. They cleaned up most situations within a few minutes. They were fast in and fast out. Muggers were beaten and knocked out by swift hits from a baton, pick pocketers found themselves stung up by a yo-yo and stolen items returned to their owner, car jackers were pulled from their stolen vehicles and would be thieves found themselves suddenly set upon by the superhero pair as they tried to break into unsecured buildings. They dealt with the threat presented and left the criminals unconscious or otherwise secured for the police, who they called right before leaving. Then they would switch, and Ladybug would lead the patrol before repeating the whole process once more.

All the while Ladybug could feel Rena’s eyes on them. She watched intently from the rooftops, perched there, waiting. She was like a predator watching a meal. Salivating as she held herself back from leaping down to join the fray. She had not said anything, but Ladybug could tell that she wanted in. She had since they first leapt off that building tonight. The silent desire left a thickness in the air between them. A tension that made Ladybug more than a little hot and bothered. She was not going to lie. She wanted to see Rena in action as much as Rena wanted to join in. And from the looks that Chat gave her, she was pretty sure her partner was just as hungry to see Rena work her magic as she was.

“Race you both to the rooftop of the apartment blocks coming up,” Ladybug called out and broke away from the pair of them. Chat and Rena were quick to respond, picking up their pace to match Ladybug’s. Chat had a slight lead on Rena but the buildings were grouped close enough together that Rena’s greater running speed made all the difference. She raced ahead of Chat, and Ladybug dropped back, letting her take the lead. She had planned this and as her eyes met Chat’s she watched as her partner slowed to let Rena take the win in this race. “Let’s let Rena lead Chat.”

“I was waiting for you to say that,” Chat said her eyes glued to Rena. The Fox Heroine was a blur of orange as she leapt high up the building. She kicked off a wall and onto a billboard for a fraction of a second before leaping back to the top of the building she had been aiming for. “She’s amazing.”

“She is,” Ladybug said throwing out her yo-yo to snag the same billboard Rena had used to bounce off of. “And I think she’s ready to take a round of patrol.”

“Agreed,” Chat said thrusting her staff down onto the building below her and sailing up alongside Ladybug. They landed on the building together, taking a few steps forward only to be pounced upon by a certain Fox, knocking both of them flat on the rooftop.

“I won,” Rena said with a smirk as she looked down upon both superheroes.

Chat laughed while Ladybug smiled up at Rena. “You did,” Ladybug said as she reached up and rubbed the white fur upon Rena’s belly. “Good Vixen.” Rena’s eyes welled at the praise as her fox ears perked up. Chat grinned seeing this, her own ears twitching in response. “I think you’re ready to lead our last patrol tonight. Think you can sniff out some criminals?”

“I’m on it,” Rena said leaping from the ground to her feat in one swift motion. She reached down and yanked both Chat and Ladybug up to their own feet. “Which way are we going?” She glanced around eagerly. She was bouncing on her feet.

Ladybug looked over to Chat with a grin. “That’s up to you My Foxy Lady,” Chat said as she straightened up and brought out her baton. “Ready when you are.” Ladybug gave Rena a nod.

“Then follow me,” Rena exclaimed leaping to the edge of the building before glancing back at Chat. “And do try to keep up.” She winked before pouncing from the building.

“Hope you’re hungry Rena,” Chat called as she bolted towards the building edge after the Fox. “Because this time I have some words for you to eat.” She disappeared into the night as she threw herself off the building.

“Here we go,” Ladybug said to herself as she took her own running leap, yo-yo at the ready. She stuck to the back of the pack. Followed Chat and Rena from a distance as they raced each other through the city. Ladybug had noticed that they were quite competitive with one another, Rena more so than Chat. They did not have the fierce rivalry that her friends Kim and Alix had but rather a competitive flow between each other that pushed them to do better and better. They seemed almost as proud of each other as they were of their own selves. It was interesting to watch.

Even now she could see Chat licking at Rena’s heels. Teasing her with the prospective of being overtaken. Rena was being pushed to leap higher, run faster and pick better routes. All the while keeping a keen eye out for any signs of criminal activity. It was a lot to keep in mind and do at once but in a real akuma attack there were rarely moments where they could focus on one thing at a time. There was a reason they used patrols as training opportunities. This was a good simulation of what Rena would have to face.

Ladybug kept a careful eye not just on Rena and Chat but also the city around them. She knew Chat would be doing the same thing. Although they had confidence in Rena’s ability, they were not about to let someone get hurt because their new hero missed something. They were double checking her work. They had missed more than their fair share of crimes on the first few patrols and still probably did not spot everything. Soon enough Rena would be just as good as them at this, hopefully better as they needed to improve themselves, but till then they would make sure she got it right. Up ahead she watched as Rena came to a halt upon the steeple of a church.

She perched there, signalling to Chat, who came up besides her and gazed down into the streets behind the church. As Ladybug swung up to join them, she saw they were whispering and pointing down towards the ground. “Found something?” Ladybug asked as she landed next to Chat.

“There’s a woman walking the streets alone,” Chat answered, her eyes narrowed as she gazed down upon the pitch-black streets below them. “She looks drunk and is staggering from side to side across the road.”

“Is she in danger?” Ladybug asked peering down into the streets herself. She could barely make out a lurching shadow that wobbled between the streetlights. “From something besides the drunken state?”

“No,” Chat said shaking her head as she glanced to Rena. “But Rena said she smelt something…”

“Smelt something?” Ladybug asked looking at the Fox Hero.

“Yeah,” Rena said nodding her head. “There’s something in the air down there. I can smell… it smells like… I don’t know what it is, but the smell makes me tense. It’s triggering my fight or flight response pretty hard.” Ladybug exchanged a look with Chat. Was this one of the Fox Miraculouses superpowers or just nerves getting to Rena. “It’s getting stronger as she walks closer to that alleyway. Wait… I don’t think it’s coming from her…”

“Hold up,” Chat said raising a hand. “There’s someone in the alley… a man I think… hard to see from here even for me.” She pushed her enhanced sight to the limit. “Dressed in a trench coat… he’s approaching the woman.” Chat readied her staff and noticed Ladybug still had her yo-yo out while Rena was reaching for her flute. “I think he’s trying to help her… nope! He just grabbed her purse and ran back down the alley. What’s the play My Lady?”

“Rena?” Ladybug said turning to the girl in question. “This one is your call.”

“Chat, get down there and chase him into the alley,” Rena said as she took charge immediately. “Ladybug, circle around and cut him off.” She had observed the heroes pull this manoeuvre earlier tonight, but she had her own twist to add to it. “Box him in and keep his attention on you two. I’ll take him from the rooftops. Go!”

“On it,” Chat said leaping towards the ground, baton extending.

“Good call,” Ladybug said with a smile as she threw out her yo-yo and made to circle around the alley.

Rena leapt herself, sailing down from the church and onto a parked truck before bounding up onto a rooftop across the street. She ran along there as below her Chat raced through the street and Ladybug swung wide. Rena bounded across the rooftops, matching pace with Chat on the ground, as Ladybug disappeared into the night. Chat and she turned at the same time and ran in time with each other, past the startled drunken woman. Her along the rooftop besides the alley while Chat stormed straight down the alley way. They could see the fleeing man ahead.

“Get back here,” Chat cried out drawing attention to her pursuit while Rena fell back to hide in the shadows. Rena knew that if she kept just a little behind Chat than she would stay out of sight. Her footsteps across the building top would be masked by Chat’s pursuit of the purse snatcher. “Come on. Don’t run. Make it easy on us.”

The purse snatcher responded to this by kicking over some garbage bins before continuing to run away. His attempt to slow Chat down was mildly entertaining but ultimately ineffective. Chat simply vaulted over the scattered bins like they were minor inconveniences. Already the leather clad hero was gaining on the man. Chat could hear him huffing and puffing as she set a decent pace to keep the purse snatcher off balance.

The end of the alley was in sight and that might have given the criminal a shred of hope if it had not been for Ladybug landing right in front of him. “Just hand over the purse and come quietly,” Ladybug said, yo-yo held out at the ready.

“We’ll go easy on you,” Chat called, slowing her pace as the man came to a stumbling halt a few meters away from Ladybug.

Rena slowed herself. Knowing that her footsteps would no longer be masked by Chat’s pursuit. She shifted from running after her prey to stalking it, creeping silently across the rooftop as she ducked down. She could see Chat sneaking up behind the man as Ladybug faced him down. “Don’t come any closer to me,” the purse snatcher cried out. “I’m warning you.”

“We don’t want to hurt you,” Ladybug said stepping forward slowly, yo-yo still at the ready. “We just want…”

“Get back!” He whipped out a gun from his trench coat and pointed it at Ladybug’s chest. Rena froze as she heard Chat gasp. “Stay back… both of you.” He turned to glance at Chat over his shoulder while keeping the gun trained on Ladybug. The weapon was shaking in his hand as he clutched the purse to his chest. Rena was perched up on the edge of the building, in perfect position to spring into action but she dared not make a move while he had that gun pointed at Ladybug. Not that she could move to begin with. Her limbs were locked in place as her heart pounded in her chest.

“Whoa calm down,” Chat exclaimed raising her hands. “It’s just a purse. No need for this…”

“Just leave me alone,” the man shouted his eyes glaring at Chat. “Step away or I put a bullet in her and then you.”

“Okay… you got it,” Chat said as she slowly stepped backwards. “You’re the boss.”

Rena sniffed the air. It was thick with that same smell from before. Almost overpowering. It made her nostrils sting. She knew what it was now. It was fear. The man smelled strong of it. Chat stunk of it. Rena reeked of it. And even Ladybug, the only one of them that had kept their cool while having a gun pointed at her, had a faint smell of it. But the odour was far more potent from the man wielding the gun than anyone else. He was terrified and Rena could smell his fear.

Ladybug caught Rena’s eyes as Chat distracted the man. She glanced from the Fox to the man with the gun and then back to Rena before giving her a nod. _Take him out_, Ladybug thought as she tried to will the silent message through to Rena. She could see that Rena was stiff and unmoving, but those eyes spoke volumes. Rena could not bring herself to make a move. Ladybug smiled up at her_. It’s okay_, she tried to say through her look, _I got this_. She waited for Chat to have the man off his guard before she struck with her yo-yo, wrapping it around the man’s gun arm and trying to yank his weapon away.

Rena watched in horror as Ladybug threw out her yo-yo. The man turned at the sound of it, yelping as his arm was struck. Ladybug tried to pull him off balance, but he held strong even as Chat came running forwards from behind. The sound of the gunshot echoed around the alley and into the night air. It was like a rock thrown into a still pond. It rippled out. Ringing through their ears. But that noise paled in comparison to the sound of Ladybug’s scream as she hit the ground hard. Rena did not think. She grabbed her flute and jumped.

Coming down straight upon the man below her she smashed her flute so hard into his hand as he collapsed onto the ground that he was forced to release the gun from his grasp. She heard his bones shatter as he screamed in pain. Rena watched as his face twisted into a gruesome look below her but all she saw was red. The flute came down again, this time across his arm, bones broke, and she felt him let out a shallow, grasping breath beneath her. She was not sure where the next blow went but the solid impact against him made Rena growl through her clenched teeth.

He was crying and screaming as Chat leapt over them to run to Ladybug’s side. Rena continued to smash her flute down onto him. She saw his shoulder dislocate, heard him let out a wheezing breath as his ribs cracked, smelt his tears as she smashed him in the side of the head and tasted the blood in the air as she brought the flute down so hard upon his face that his nose broke. Rena brought the flute down in two hands right across his throat. She held it there, pressing it down upon him as he wheezed and coughed. Feebly he tried to fight her off with his one good arm but she merely dug her knees into his chest and forced him to cough up blood till she felt his body go still.

“Rena!”

“Vixen!”

Two strong pairs of arms pulled her off the man. She tried to fight against them but even in her rage they were stronger than she was. They pulled her away from the man and slammed her back into the brick wall. Two figures stood either side of her, pinning her against the wall. Rena blinked and realised the figures were Ladybug and Chat Noir. “Ladybug,” she sobbed out. She did not remember crying but her face was wet with tears and her throat felt like she had swallowed a cheese grater. “You’re okay?”

“Bullet didn’t make it past the suit,” Ladybug said as she took Rena into her arms. She grasped Rena’s hands and pried them off her flute. “See?” Ladybug held Rena’s fingers down upon the area of her suit that got hit by the bullet. There was little more than a faint divot there. “I’m okay.”

“Thank God,” Rena cried as she buried her face in Ladybug’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry… this was my plan that went wrong… and then I couldn’t save you and…”

“Shhhhhhh,” Ladybug said her hands grasping Rena’s and pulling her close. “Chat?” She glanced over Rena’s shoulder.

“He’s breathing,” Chat said. The blonde-haired woman was kneeled down over the unconscious man. “It’s shallow and I think he’s coughing up blood.” She turned the man onto his side and sure enough a mouthful of blood leaked out over the ground. “I’m calling the police.”

“Better get an ambulance too,” Ladybug said wrapping her arms around Rena. “Can you take care of him while I take care of her?”

“Go My Lady,” Chat said as she dialled the emergency services on her baton. “Look after our Foxy Lady.”

Ladybug threw her yo-yo into the air. It caught on a fire escape back down the alley and she pulled the pair of them up before swinging across to a building top on the far side. She set Rena down on the edge of the building before landing next to her. Wrapping an arm around Rena she helped her to sit down there, overlooking the alley. She could still feel Rena sobbing silently into Ladybug’s side. No words were spoken as they sat there together. Ladybug rubbed small circles into Rena’s back as she listened to her own heartbeat slow down. She had not realised just how fast it had been beating till now.

Finally, Rena’s sobbing quietened, and it was replaced with a grunt. “I’m pathetic,” Rena exclaimed pulling her knees up to her chest. Down below them they could hear the sirens and see flashing emergency lights at one end of the alley.

“Hardly,” Ladybug snorted. “I think you’re amazing.” She tightened her arm around Rena’s side.

“You’re the one who got shot and I’m crying my eyes out while you comfort me,” Rena said her voice low and tearful. “That’s pathetic.”

“You just watched me get shot and then beat a man into a bloody pulp less than what… 15 hours? 15 hours after becoming a superhero for the first time,” Ladybug snorted. “I think you’re entitled to a few tears and a bit of a breakdown.” She leaned in towards Rena and kissed her on the cheek.

“What was that for?” Rena asked her face feeling awfully warm.

“Beating up the man that shot me,” Ladybug whispered. “Over a purse of all things… what an asshole. Like can you believe that? A purse. What was even in there to be worth pulling a gun out over? The Crown Jewels?” Rena giggled as Ladybug flashed her a smile.

“What does taking a bullet get you?” Rena asked.

“The worst punch in the gut I have ever felt and probably a big ass bruise,” Ladybug winced as she rubbed her fingers over the place where the bullet had struck on her lower abdomen.

“Remind me never to get shot,” Rena said as she leaned down to look closer at the impact point. She could see a faint tearing of the suit, not enough to expose bare skin but take off a couple thin layers of whatever magical fabric it was made of. She pressed her lips against the mark and kissed it. “There you go.”

“Thank-you for kissing it better,” Ladybug said with a grin as she stared into Rena’s eyes. “My Hero.” Ladybug reached out and pulled Rena back into her arms. They looked at each other in silence for a moment before movement from below caught their eyes. There was a blur of black and Chat appeared upon the other side of Rena. “Chat is everything down there alright?”

“The police have it under control and the paramedics are taking him away now,” Chat explained as she settled herself down besides Rena.

Rena glanced over to Chat with a worried look in her eyes. “Is he…”

“He’ll live,” Chat said shaking her head as she wrapped another set of arms around Rena. “He’ll be in a lot of pain for a long ass time, but he was conscious when I left him, so they are confident he’ll survive.” Chat’s voice dropped to a darker tone. “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

“Chat…” Ladybug scolded. “Just because he shot me…”

“It’s not just that,” Chat cut in her voice husky. “Police identified him as a suspect of three separate murders and the gun he had is linked to a number of other shootings. Including a kid who may never walk again. We were lucky to come across this monster before he added another victim to his tally.”

“Talk about dumb luck,” Ladybug murmured snuggling into Rena’s side. “To think we just came across him like that and he escalated things to that level over a simple purse.”

“Police think he was afraid of being caught for the other crimes he had committed if we brought him in,” Chat explained with a shrug. “Which I guess makes sense. His fear made him act irrationally.”

“He wasn’t just afraid,” Rena spoke up as she pulled both Ladybug and Chat close. Her voice was a faint whisper, but it carried to both of them in such a close embrace. “He was terrified. He was horrified of being caught.” She sniffed the air, smelling past her own fear to the stench that still filled the alley. “He still is scared to death of what awaits him. He knows that he’s going away for a long time. He’s going to rot in jail and that’s his worst fear. He’ll suffer.” She smiled.

“Good,” Chat said stiffly as she leaned into Rena. “Thank-you My Foxy Lady for this. I am glad you caught him and that you showed him not to mess with Our Lady.” Chat locked eyes with Rena and they shared a look of solidarity before Chat leaned up and placed a kiss upon Rena’s forehead. “You’re our Hero tonight.”

“I don’t think what I did was awfully heroic,” Rena said in a quiet voice. “I should have stopped after I disarmed him…”

“I was two seconds away from Cataclysming him after he took that shot,” Chat hissed her grip tightening around Rena and Ladybug both.

“Chat!” Ladybug berated.

“I know My Lady, I know,” Chat said with a sigh. “I know I should never have even thought of doing that but when you went down I… I was on the edge of giving in and letting go. Let’s just say it’s a good thing Rena got to him before me because I don’t think they would have needed an ambulance. So, thank-you Rena. Thank-you for being my Hero.” She held Rena’s gaze with such an intensity behind those green eyes that time seemed to slow for a moment and Rena felt her heart skip a beat.

“And mine too,” Ladybug said her own gaze even more intense than Chat’s. “For both my sake and hers.” Those eyes shifted from Rena to Chat. “Thank-you Rena.”

They sat there long after the police and ambulance had left. The night grew quiet around them and the air stilled. Even as the cold morning air blew in and the moon fell they did not move away from one another. They just sat there in this embrace. Rena wedged between both other heroes as they held onto her for dear life. Only later would Rena learn that that was the first gun wielding criminal Ladybug and Chat Noir had faced. The first one to catch either of them off guard. It would not be the last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed writing this chapter, especially the part about Rena beating that guy senseless. I plan to write her as a much more aggressive fighter to Ladybug or Chat with a brutal style compared to theirs. I also gave her the minor power of being able to smell fear which will factor into her illusion powers later on. I hope to give all the other heroes minor powers like this over time and maybe some larger, major ones.
> 
> Next chapter should be about the Bubbler and Adrienne’s Super Sweet Sixten. I have plans for Hawk Moth to pull some shit but we’ll see if that appears in the next chapter or a few from now.
> 
> As always, feedback and comments are appreciated.


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